You're the One
by basketballchickie32
Summary: Five schools, four states, three new identities, two lives torn apart, and one death threat. How many times will I have to completely uproot my life to get away from Him? One stupid mistake two years ago and I'm still paying for it. BxE
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Thanks for giving this story a shot! I hope everyone enjoys it. I don't have a beta, so all mistakes are mine.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

 **Summary: Five schools, four states, three new identities, two lives torn apart, and one death threat. How many times will I have to completely uproot my life to get away from Him? One stupid mistake two years ago and I'm still paying for it. Based on true events. BxE**

 **"** **You can go your own way. Go your own way. You can call it another lonely day." – Fleetwood Mac "Go Your Own Way"**

 **Chapter 1**

 **BPOV**

 **September 2015**

Another day, another new town. It seems as though every time I turn around I'm having to move again. I guess that's what I get.

I help my mom finish unloading the U-Haul van before it starts raining on us. "Is that all of it?"

"Yeah, mom, I got the rest of it." Considering how little we have from the constant moving around, it didn't take us long for us to get our new house set up and ready for the new start of our lives.

"I'll order us a pizza since we're both exhausted from the trip, Mak –, I mean Bella."

I cringe at my mom's almost slip-up. I hate thinking about the reason we had to suddenly move away from Phoenix. With each new town we go to, it gets harder and harder to keep up with all the new details and the old details of my so-called life.

"Yeah, that'll be great, mom. I'm going to go get my room ready for the night while we wait."

Mom doesn't even bother answering me as I jog up the short set of stairs to my new room. I start unloading the boxes of clothes and shoes into my closet, but other than that, I don't really have much else to call mine. A few books, my cell phone, the special file I keep to remind me of everything He's capable of, and my bedspread are all that's left after all my clothes are put up. I guess that's one thing mom never wanted me to forget about my old life: amazing clothes.

I can just hear her saying, _"What you wear and how you present yourself are the only things that matter in this life. Everything else doesn't mean anything."_ I roll my eyes at the thought. Out of all the things we've been through these past few years, all mom still thinks about is clothes.

Tomorrow, I start my first day at a new school, again. I've already decided that whatever happens there, I'm not going to get attached to anyone. The last time I got close to anyone… I shudder at the thought of what happened to the poor boy.

So, with my mindset ready and my clothes picked out for my first day at a new school, I walk back downstairs to eat my dinner. Mom doesn't acknowledge me as I sit down at the kitchen table. I grab two slices of pepperoni pizza and all but shove them down my throat. I guess I'm hungrier than I thought.

Mom and I sit in silence, for who knows how long, both of us on our respective phones doing anything except talking to each other. It didn't used to be like this. She used to be my best friend. Then, He came into our lives and changed everything. There's not a day that goes by that I don't regret the decisions I made surrounding Him. I could still be back in New York with all my friends, instead of starting my fifth new school in less than two years. My mom could still have her dream job, instead she just gets whatever job she can find in the town we live in to pay the bills. We wouldn't have to look over our shoulders every moment of every day in search of Him. I wish I could have friends again without having to fear for their safety. I just wish everything would go back to the way it was before.

 **A/N: What did you think?**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank all of those who reviewed/favorited/followed! Updates should be every Monday from here on out, unless I tell you guys otherwise. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter! All mistakes are mine. See you at the bottom!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

 **"** **First things first, I'ma say all the words inside my head. I'm fired up and tired of the way that things have been oh – ooh." Imagine Dragons "Believer"**

 **Chapter 2**

 **BPOV**

 **September 2015**

I'm up early the next morning, anxious to get the first day of school over with. First day at a new school is hard enough, but the first day at a new school, a month into the new year, as a senior is quite possibly the worst as it can get. But, I know that if I can get through the first day, then I can get through... however long I'm here, safe away from Him.

I take my time going through my clothes, trying to pick out what I want to wear today. I want to blend in, so I choose a simple dark blue romper with some strappy sandals, both designed by my mom, of course. I grab a matching cardigan to go with it because it looks like it's going to rain at any minute. I apply some light makeup and French braid my hair back into a half - up, half - down hairstyle. I finally look in the mirror and smile in approval. If this new school is anything like the schools I went to in New York, Jacksonville, or Phoenix, then I should blend in nicely.

I couldn't be more wrong.

I get out of my silver Mazda3 when I get to the school and look around at the rest of student population. Everyone, and I mean literally everyone, is in jeans and t-shirts. I take one more look at my outfit and hang my head embarrassment. I look like I'm about to go clubbing compared to these people. So much for blending in with everyone. I ignore the cat-calls and whistles as I rush inside. I try to quickly find my first class, which honestly isn't that hard. This school probably has a total of twenty classrooms in the entire building.

When I start to turn a corner, I run into a hard chest which makes all of my books fall to the ground. I quickly bend down to pick my books up when I hear a voice say. "Watch where you're going, would you?"

Pissed, I stand right back up and stare into what had to be the brightest green eyes I've ever seen. "You know, I would say sorry, but I have a rule that I don't apologize to arrogant little pricks."

"Says the girl who looks like she's begging me to fuck her in the storage closet."

What does my outfit have to do with anything? On the one hand, I'm kind of flattered that he's thinking about fucking me, but the rational part of me is pissed at what he's insinuating.

I start to snap back at him, but he side-steps me and walks off. I huff and roll my eyes and make my way to my classroom.

 _Asshole._

When I get there, I instantly take the empty seat in the back. The girl sitting next to me is literally bouncing in her seat with excitement as I sit next to her. "Hi! I'm Alice. You're the new girl, right?"

Dang, word travels fast around here. "Uh, yeah, that's me," I say not wanting to continue the conversation.

"Well, it's nice to meet you..."

"Bella." I finish for her. I turn towards the front, hoping she'll get the hint that I'm not looking for a chat, but much to my disappointment, she continues talking.

"I absolutely love your outfit! Are you wearing Renee Swan?"

I stiffen at the mention of my mom's name. Who would've known that in a town as tiny as Forks, Washington that someone would know and recognize Renee Swan's designs.

"Uh, I don't know, maybe."

"She's like my absolute favorite designer! It's so awesome to find someone who actually has the same sense of style in this stupid, tiny town!" She continues to prattle on about clothes, but I tune her out after the first thirty seconds.

The rest of class goes by and I'm the first one out of my seat and out the door, desperate to get out of that awkward situation.

I walk to my next class, or at least I try to, but I end up getting stopped because there's a crowd of people surrounding some lockers, thus making the flow of traffic in the hallway completely halt.

As I try to squeeze in between the massive amounts of people, I begin to pick up bits of the conversation that everyone seems to be trying to listen to.

"But, why Eddie? I thought we were great together!" I cringe at the sound of the high-pitched voice.

"First of all, I told you not to call me Eddie. Second, I've told you this from the beginning, we are not 'a thing.' Never were, never will be," a vaguely familiar voice says.

"But we spent the entire summer together!"

I could literally hear the eye roll from this "Eddie" person. "We fucked, Tanya, like twice this summer. You were okay, but now it's over. Got it? Leave me the hell alone now."

Wow. Even I thought that was kind of harsh.

The girl named Tanya started to say something again, but at this point, I'm out of the crowd and on to my next class.

The rest of the morning goes by quickly. At lunch, I sit by myself, thankfully, and eat my school-bought lunch in peace. I only have three more classes left and then I'll be home free.

My next two classes go by fairly quickly. In fact, all my classes seem to be easy. The curriculum seems fairly simple considering I've already learned all the information at my school in Phoenix. I briefly consider seeing if I could test out of the class, but decide against it.

My last class of the day is gym. I internally groan. I am by no means a klutz, but I'm definitely not gym class material. I'm in shape, just for the chance if He finds me again. I might need to be able to run away from him if it comes to that. I'm also trained in self-defense because of previous incounters with Him.

But gym class? Like playing basketball or tennis or volleyball with other people? They had better have an ambulance standing by for the other participants. Sports and I don't really go well together, well at least for whoever I'm playing with.

I debate on ditching the class, but I figured that wouldn't make the best first impression to the teacher if I wanted him to ever let me not participate. So, I strap on my big girl panties and walk into the gym.

Immediately, two boys come up to me. "Hey, short stuff. How you doing?" the big burly one with sweet brown eyes asks.

The other blonde guy slaps him upside the head when he sees my reaction. "Dude, why would you lead with that? She's freaking hot and you just messed it up by calling her short!"

I roll my eyes and walk in the opposite direction from them. I'm not that short.

"Wait! Hey, come on, don't blame me for this idiot's words!" the blonde one shouts.

I turn around to look at them. I eye them skeptically for a moment then continue walking. When I get to the older guy in gym shorts, I stop. "Are you Coach Clapp?"

"Yes, that's me. You're Bella Swan, right?"

Well, technically I'm not, but I can't exactly tell him that. "Yes, sir."

He heads to what seems to be a closet. "Follow me and I'll give you your gym uniform." He hands me an ugly green shirt and some equally ugly grey shorts go with it. "It's required for you to wear this and tennis shoes every day to this class. Don't lose it and don't forget it. Now go change; the girl's locker room is just through those doors. You can do your best to play in your…" he glances down at my sandals and I follow his eyes. He looks back up to me with a confused expression his face and continues, "yeah those shoes. Just remember, from here on out it's tennis shoes or I deduct a letter grade."

I groan in disappointment. I thought I would get the day off since it's my first day and because of my shoes.

I begrudgingly head down to the girl's locker room and change quickly. I walk back to the gym and join the small crowd of my classmates that has gathered around Coach Clapp. "Today, we'll be playing three on three basketball, so make a team and I'll tell you who's playing against who."

Everyone excitedly starts forming their teams and I'm left standing around looking around like an idiot. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice the two boys from earlier walking towards me. I start walking in the other direction at the same time Coach Clapp starts talking again. "Does everyone have their team of three?"

One of the two boys I'd been avoiding speaks up, "We still need one more person, Coach."

I quickly try to hide behind some of the girls in front of me.

"Does anyone not have a group of three?"

The three girls in front of me move out of the way so I'm right in front of Coach Clapp. "Do you have a group, Miss Swan?"

I look around nervously. Everyone is staring at me now. "I prefer not to play sports… for my safety and everyone else's."

"Then today is not your lucky day. You're with Jasper and Emmett."

I groan, but make my way over to them. Coach Clapp then begins to tell everyone who they're playing against.

"Hi Bella!" the brown haired one says excitedly.

"Hi."

"Don't worry, Bella, we'll do all the work for you."

Now that's what I like to hear, but not wanting to form a conversation with them, I nod my head in acknowledgement.

Despite my initial standoffishness, Emmett and Jasper both welcome me with arms wide open into their group. While we wait for our chance to play, they both try to talk with me to which I only respond to with short, curt answers. But, much like Alice did this morning, that doesn't stop them from trying.

While I'm trying so hard to ignore them I can't. Jasper and Emmett bicker like brothers. It's easy to see that they're close friends. They end up both trying to tell me these really stupid jokes that I'm trying so hard not to laugh at.

"What do you call a group of unorganized cats?"

"I don't know, Jasper, what?"

"A cat-astrophe!"

Eh, that's not that funny.

"What do you call it when Batman skips church?"

"I don't know, Em, what do you call it?" Jasper replies when I don't.

"Christian Bale!"

Okay, that one was a little bit funny. Only a little bit.

"What disease do you get when you decorate for Christmas?"

"I don't know, what Emmett?"

"Tinselitus!"

These jokes are so terrible that they're actually becoming funny.

"Why don't they play poker in the jungle?"

"Because there's too many cheetahs!"

I can't help but laugh at this point. "Those are so awful! Why do you even know those?" I blurt.

Emmett and Jasper laugh along with me for a moment. "There's that smile, Bella. It's beautiful," Emmett says and Jasper nods his head in agreement.  
I try to hide the fact that my smile has gotten even bigger and that I'm now blushing.

"You shouldn't try to hide it, Bella."

I don't know how to respond to Emmett, so I just shrug. At this point, I'm tired of pretending that they're not being perfectly nice to me and that they're jokes aren't funny so I start trying to be a little more civil.

"I'll make you a deal, Bella. If I can get you to smile every day, then you have to be on our team of whatever sport Coach forces us to play in here. If I can't get you to smile, then you can go back to this trying to ignoring us shit like you've been doing this past twenty minutes."

I think about Emmett's proposal for a moment until Jasper breaks my silence. "Or we could just keep pestering you until you say yes, darling."

I giggle at his wannabe country accent. "Okay! Okay! Just stop with that accent, Jasper. It's sounds so weird and unnatural coming from you."

"I told you that ladies always fall for that accent, Em."

Now it's Emmett's turn to slap Jasper upside the head. "Dude, you are lucky she didn't slap that fake accent out of your mouth. Now, stop that before you scare her away from us on her first day of school!"

We all start laughing until Coach Clapp tells us it's our time to play. To my surprise, Emmett stays by my side and does all the work for me like he said he would. During the game, he continues to make his corny jokes.

"How many tickles does it take to make an octopus laugh, Bella?"

I giggle, "How many?"

"Ten-tickles!"

I roll my eyes and smile at him and then he continues.

"Why didn't the toilet paper cross the road?"

"Why not?"

"Because he got stuck in a crack!"

We both die laughing, but after that one, I just had to ask, "Have you ever played a basketball game before?" I ask, trying not to chuckle again.

"Yeah, why?"

"There's usually not this much talking," I tease.

"You're hilarious, Bella. Do you honestly think any of the people have a chance against us?" I take the time to look at them really well. Emmett is a mammoth of a man. He has huge muscles everywhere, but his face and demeanor made him seem like a young boy. Jasper, on the other hand, isn't nearly as muscly as Emmett, but he has nothing to complain about. He's tall, lean, and fast. Not to mention both are incredibly good looking.

After we win our game, we spend the rest of period making jokes about the girls who hike their gym shorts up all the way up to their chest, trying to show off their nonexistent legs. It's the most fun I've had in a long time and I immediately hate myself for it, knowing the possibilities of what could happen if He shows up here and sees me with them.

I try to ignore those thoughts and just enjoy the rest of the period, and surprisingly I do. It's easy to forget about real life with them. They both seem so free and innocent to the horrors of this world. I wish I was still like that. And by the end of the period, I can't help but like them.

When the final bell rings, I grab my phone and notice that Mom sent me a text.

 _Starting a new job tonight. Don't have time to fix dinner. There's supposed to be a diner somewhere close to the school, so stop and get yourself something on the way home. – Mom_

Wow, Mom, thanks for the help.

Considering how tiny Forks is, it doesn't take me that long to find the only diner in the town. I walk in, place my order and I'm on my way home within twenty minutes. I guess it wasn't all that painful.

When I get home, I head to the kitchen table to eat when I see a note from my mom.

 _Bella,_

 _Like I already told you, I got a new job tonight. It's at the only hotel this town has. There's only a handful of jobs even available in this town, so I had to take what was offered. I work the night shift every day, so we won't be seeing much of each other. I hope you're adjusting well. I'll leave you some money each week to buy groceries for us both._

 _Mom_

Nice chat, Mom. Great to know you care.

I eat my dinner in silence, reminiscing about my day. Overall, it wasn't awful. I've definitely had worse days of school, but I did manage to screw one thing up. I was supposed to fly under the radar at this school, not talk to anyone, not make any friends. And what did I do? I let some girl from first period talk her head off about my mom – not that she knows it's my mom, but still, and I talked to the two funniest guys I've ever met, in last period.

I've got to hold my ground better tomorrow. I need to just ignore everyone, no matter what. Hopefully soon, they'll get the picture after a while and stop trying to befriend me, for both our sakes.

 **A/N: Thoughts? Hit that review button and tell me what you thought. See you next week.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank all of those who reviewed/favorited/followed! I hope everyone enjoys this chapter! All mistakes are mine. See you at the bottom!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

 **"** **You're a real tough cookie with a long history for breakin' little hearts like the one in me. Before I put another notch in my lipstick case, you'd better make sure you put me in my place. Hit me with your best shot! C'mon, hit me with your best shot!" – Pat Benatar "Hit Me with Your Best Shot"**

 **Chapter 3**

 **BPOV**

 **September 2015**

The next day of school goes just about as well as the first. I did, however, manage to tone down my wardrobe a little bit in hopes of blending in a little better.

My morning starts off the same as it did yesterday with the girl beside me talking like it is her last day on earth. "Hi, Bella! How was your first day of school yesterday? I'm sure it was great. Every day is great. I absolutely love your outfit again today! Those jeans, with that top, and those flats, oh they're to die for. You have some serious taste in clothes. One day, you and I need to compare closets. One day, I'm going to move to New York and start my own business designing my own clothes. It's going to –" I start to zone out after that, but she continues talking for the rest of the period. I don't know if she just doesn't realize or if she knows that I'm not listening to her and she just doesn't care that I'm not listening to her. Either way, she talks a mile a minute for a solid ninety minutes.

Before I know it, lunch rolls around and I'm trying to find an empty table to sit in. Because I'm not exactly looking where I'm going, I manage to run into a rock-hard chest. I cringe as I hear my plate fall to the ground.

 _Please don't let me have spilt my food all over myself._

 _Please don't let me have spilt my food all over someone else._

 _Please don't let this be the same prick I ran into yesterday._

Some luck.

"You," the same boy from yesterday says, accusingly.

Of course. It just had to be him, again. I talk back to him as quick as I can this time, so he won't be able to get the last word in like last time. "Well, if it isn't the same dick from yesterday that can't see when someone is right in front of him," I spit out before he has the chance to say anything else.

"I don't know how to watch where I'm going? I do believe this is the second time in two days that you've ran into me, princess."

Okay, so maybe I did run into him today, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let him know that I think that or that I ran into him yesterday!

"Listen here, you little prick, I'm not your princess, so go back to wherever you came from and see if they can remove the stick you've got shoved up your ass." At this point in time, I realize that the entire cafeteria is watching us intently, otherwise I probably wouldn't have said that. Probably.

Much to my surprise and amusement, he snaps back just as swiftly. "Oh, princess, I can think of something that needs to be shoved in your ass, amongst other places."

I can't help the heat that rises to my face, part in anger, part in embarrassment and sadly, I was a little aroused. I didn't want to let him know that he was getting to me though, so I step a little closer to him so that we're now almost nose to nose and bite back, "It's going to take something a lot bigger than you to fill me up. Not that you could handle me if you tried."

He steps impossibly closer to me with his next retort, "Is that a challenge or a promise?" My eyes inadvertently glance down to his lips at our proximity. The smirk on his face makes it very hard not to want to kiss it off of him. Then I remembered how I got so close to him in the first place. The feeling is gone, but I can't help but want to leave him hanging.

"I guess there's only one way for you to find out." And with that, I exit the lunch room, all eyes, including the green ones I was just staring into, staring at me.

I go outside to clear my head, my lunch all forgotten.

What am I thinking? I've been at this school for not even a total of two days and I've already caught myself in the middle of some sexual contest with a boy whose looks could rival Adonis.

I take a few deep breaths to clear my mind and try to focus on my goal.

 _I'm not here to make friends. I'm only here to get away from Him and that's it. Don't make connections with people. I know the consequences when you do._

I can feel the tears prick the backs of my eyes. I can't do this, not here. I glance down at my hands and for a split second, they're covered in blood. I blink a few times and realize that it's just my imagination.

I'm not back there anymore. Jacob is fine. He made it to the hospital in time. Jacob and I got away from Him. It's over. Jacob doesn't have to suffer any more because of me.

I'm shaken out of my thoughts when the bell rings, signaling the end of lunch. I have drawn more than enough attention to myself today, so I don't even bother pretending that I'm paying attention in the rest of my classes. I eventually find myself in the corner of the gym, counting down the minutes until I can leave this place.

Jasper and Emmett find me immediately and take in my somber mood. Emmett tries to joke with me for a few minutes to "get me to smile and hold up his end of the deal," he said. Jasper is more laid back in trying to give me the space I so desperately wanted, but eventually, Emmett feels the need to express his thoughts on the whole fiasco at lunch.

"Bella! What you did at lunch was awesome! I don't think I've ever seen Edward gets so flustered about anything, let alone a girl!" Emmett boasts.

This actually makes me crack a smile.

"That's exactly what I wanted to see, Bella. A girl as beautiful as you shouldn't look so down all the time."

Jasper looks at him like he grew another head. "Dude, this is her second day here. What do you mean 'all the time?'" Jasper chuckles in between sentences. "You act as if you've known her for years, man!"

While I do appreciate Emmett's attempt to cheer me up, Jasper does make a valid point.

Emmett just smiles at me sadly. "Sometimes just a few moments with someone can make you feel as though you've known them a life time."

The look on Jasper's face says it all. "Who are you and what the hell have you done with my Emmett McCarty? You know, the guy who has farting contests with himself every time he eats Mexican? Where the hell did that Shakespearean shit come from?"

We all burst out laughing at that, but my heart constricts at Emmett's words. As much as I don't want to make friends with these two boys, I don't know if I have a choice. They're too awesome not to like.

My affection for these two boys grows impossibly more throughout gym. Every time someone tried to come up to me and talk about what happened at lunch, either Emmett or Jasper would shoot them down before they got anywhere near me.

At the end of the day, I say my quiet 'thanks' to them for their protection from our peers for the period and rush out the door to my car, desperate for this day to be over with.

My second night out of school basically goes the same as the first. I pick up food at the diner because I haven't had time to go buy groceries, I go home, I eat my dinner, I do homework, and then I try, unsuccessfully, to make myself believe that I don't need friends at this new school.

The next morning, I leave my house with the same mantra, _I can't afford to have friends at this school. I know what happens when I try to build a life at a new place._ I repeat this to myself up until I sit in my seat in first period.

As per usual, Alice is waiting eagerly in her seat when I walk into first period the next day. I momentarily think about changing seats, but a quick look around the already full classroom makes that a no. I tense as I sit down, ready for the onslaught of conversation that I knew was about to happen.

"You were hilarious at lunch yesterday, Bella."

Despite my instinct to ignore her, I look up to Alice. "What are you talking about? That little prick ran into me and then proceeded to yell at me!"

"You basically had steam coming out of your ears, Bella! It was awesome. Nobody has ever had the balls to talk to my brother like that except for me, but I don't really count."

I stare at her in disbelief. "That asshole is your brother? Talk about getting the shallow end of the gene pool..." I mean this girl may be a little annoying, but at least she seems like a half-way decent person which is more than I can say for her brother.

Alice bursts out laughing. Mr. Banner looks up from his desk to stare at us. "Something you'd like to share with the class, ladies?"

Before I even get the chance to reply, Alice beats me to it. "We were just talking about the assignment and how fun this class is going to be this semester!"

Mr. Banner grumbles something incoherently in response.

Alice turns back to me. "Damn Bella, and here I thought you'd go all goo goo eyes on my brother like every other girl in this school does."

I snort. "Highly unlikely. That's actually the second time he's run into me, so if anything, I want to slap that stupid grin that he always wears off his face." Maybe take some of his clothes off in the process, but she doesn't need to know that.

If it's even possible, Alice's smile gets ten times bigger. "You have no idea how much I've waited for someone in this school to say that about him."

I snort again, but other than that, don't respond.

A few minutes pass silently, which hasn't happened once in the three days at the school that I've been with Alice, so out of curiosity, I turn to look at her. I find her staring at me with an odd expression on her face. "What?"

"You don't want to make friends here, do you?"

Okay, so I totally did not expect her to say that.

"What makes you say that?"

"I've seen you talking to Emmett and Jasper during the afternoons. Well, more like them talking to you and you staring off into the distant or barely responding to them."

"Okay, so what's your point? Maybe I just don't like them," I try to say as convincingly as I can. Every bone in my body is telling me that I need these people as friends, but I just don't know if my heart can take another incident like Jacob.

Now, it's Alice's turn to scoff. "Yeah, right. Everyone likes them. And I mean everyone. It's impossible not to. They're both gorgeous, especially Jasper, hilarious, kind, and overall just amazing people. Who wouldn't want to be friends with people like that?"

"You say that like you want to be friends with them," I say with conviction. If she wanted to be friends with them so badly, why doesn't she try? She clearly isn't shy, I mean, she basically talks to herself the entire time she's with me.

Her eyes lower to the ground. "It's not easy being the weird little sister of the most popular guy in the school. Edward all but threatens me if I dare approach him or his friends at school."

"That's absolutely ridiculous. You should be friends with whomever you want be friends with. Screw what your brother says."

"Easy for you to say. You don't have to live with him."

"Yeah, thank God for that. I don't think I'd make it an hour being in the same vicinity as him."

"You have no idea! Despite what every girl in this school thinks, he's actually quite an asshole!" Alice continues to rant about how much she doesn't like her brother and for once, I actually listen to her. Huh, maybe having this chick as a friend won't be as catastrophic as I'm making it out to be.

 **A/N: What did you think? Make sure you leave a review to tell me your thoughts. See you next week!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** **Thank all of those who reviewed/favorited/followed! I hope everyone enjoys this chapter! It's a little choppy, but everything has a reason, so pay close attention! All mistakes are mine. See you at the bottom!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

 **"** **Living might mean taking chances, but they're worth taking. Loving might be a mistake, but it's worth making." – Lee Ann Womack – "I Hope You Dance"**

 **Chapter 4**

 **BPOV**

 **September 2015**

For the third night this week, I wake up gasping from the nightmares that plague my sleep. Every dream ends the same: I'm running away from Him with a blood-stained dress on. I run for what feels like miles until I can't breathe anymore. I stop and look around to see if He is still chasing me. Right when I let my guard down, He comes up behind me and starts to strangle me. When I feel like I'm about to die in my dream, I wake up.

I quickly get up and get dressed, trying to shake of the nightmare.

Class is the same, and for once I'm thankful for Alice's nonstop chatter. It's nice to hear something other than my own thoughts haunting me.

To my much displeasure, school goes by quickly and I'm in gym class with two of the most amazing guys I've ever met, trying to ignore them, and at the same time, hanging onto every word they say.

Every day it gets harder and harder trying to ignore the growing friendship between Jasper, Emmett, and me. They're everything I could have dared to wish for in friends, and now that they're right in front of me, I don't know if I can take it.

They're too good of people. They don't deserve the monstrosity that follows me around everywhere I go, but I just can't fight the feeling inside me that makes me think that I need to be friends with these people.

After the third full week of the nightmares invading my sleep every night, I make the decision to let someone in. I feel like I'm going insane from never talking to anyone. Sure, I sit with Alice at lunch now and I hang around Emmett and Jasper in gym, but I hardly ever talk to them. I'm just there. I'm just ghosting through my life, just waiting around until He shows up and we have to move again.

I fight the tears that threaten to fall over my eyes. I can't keep living like this. I need something… a distraction, something to look forward to, something to make me want to get out of bed everyday… a friend. I look around at my empty room and imagine it filled with Jasper, Emmett, Alice and even Edward. I can't believe how easy it is to picture them in my life. I need friends if I'm going to be able to make it through my time in this town. I'm going insane without someone to talk to.

Right then and there I decide that I'm going to be someone's friend again. It's done. The decision is made. I'll let some people in. Slowly, and I can't let them get too close. I just need some human interaction before I die of sleep deprivation, of all things.

A full week goes by after my decision when I finally decide to do something about it. Every day during lunch, I find myself drawn more and more to the table in the middle of the cafeteria where Emmett and Jasper are.

I can see the longing on Alice's face as we pass Emmett and Jasper and sigh. She really wants to be friends with them and from what little I know about Alice, she would fit in nicely with them if they would just give her the chance and if she would give herself the chance.

Every day for the past few weeks, Emmett and Jasper all but beg me to sit with them at lunch, but I always decline. If I sit with them, I have to sit with the hot douchebag, otherwise known as Edward Cullen. I would much rather sit with Alice and listen to her yammer on about something. So that's what I do, until today.

If I'm going to completely disregard my instincts, I may as well go full force with it. I grab Alice by the arm and tug her over to the table where Emmett, Jasper, some blonde girl I've never seen before, and Edward are sitting. "Mind if we sit here to today?"

Emmett and Jasper's faces light up. Blondie doesn't glance in our direction. Edward, on the other hand, lashes out. "No, you can't sit with us! Go back over to your loser table and leave us all the fuck alone!"

Alice literally shrinks into herself and starts to walk back over to where we normally sit, but I grab her arm. "I wasn't asking you, asshole." I look to Jasper and Emmett for their approval. They both nod their head enthusiastically and make room for us, whilst giving Edward a pointed look. He ignores them and makes a big show of picking up his tray and leaving the lunchroom, clearly angry.

I can't help the grin of satisfaction I wear on my face the rest of the day. Alice gets what she wants. I get what I want, and I'm pissing Edward off in the process. Sounds like a pretty good day to me.

 ***YTO***

As much as I hate to admit it, Forks has really begun to start to grow on me now that I've accepted my fated friendship. Between school, our weekly outings to the Forks Diner that we plan during lunch, and all the corny jokes in between, I'm actually having fun, something I thought I would never be able to have again after everything happened. Yet, here I am.

Even Edward is starting to grow on me. Our interactions are basically limited to lunch, but that's more than enough of him. After mine and Alice's initial day of sitting with them, he hasn't had much to say about us being there. We've even gone back to torturing each other with our innuendos.

Like yesterday, I caught him staring at me when we all got up to throw our trash away and head to class.

"See something you like, Cullen?"

"You know I do, baby. You gonna let me have any of it?"

I grab him by the belt loops of his pants and pull him so he's flush against me. I lean in close and whisper in his ear, "Not even if we were the last two people on earth," and walk to my next class without a glance back at him.

I can't help the smile that forms on face as I think about the memory. There is just something about him, behind the dick façade that he wears, that draws me to him.

 ***YTO***

After two weeks of sitting with the boys and Alice, I realize how innocent and shy Alice really is around the guys. Here she is, sitting in between Jasper and me, completely ignoring Jasper when he tries to talk to her. Instead, she continues talking to me about something regarding some new skirt she wants from Port Angeles.

I can't help but wonder why the heck she's talking to me instead of the hot guy right beside her, who is clearly trying to flirt with her!

Come on, Alice, I know you're better than this. Talk to him! I want to yell it at her, but instead her soft voice brings me out of my inner monologue.

"So, will you come with me, Bella?"

"Huh? What?"

"I knew you weren't listening to me," Alice huffs.

"Sorry, Alice. I was just thinking about some stuff," I say vaguely. I make a mental note to ask her later why she's ignoring Jasper. "Where do you want me to go with you?"

"I need to go shopping later today and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me? I could really use your opinion on some stuff."

"Yeah, of course." In the back of my mind, I'm planning on bombarding her with the Spanish Inquisition while we're there, but she doesn't need to know that at this very moment.

"Why would you want to hang out with her more than you have to, Bella? Aren't you sick and tired of her by the time you leave school?" I feel the anger building inside of me as I turn to face Edward. I also see Alice shrink in her seat at her brother's words which makes me even angrier.

"Just because you're stuck up asshole, doesn't mean you have to make everyone else around you miserable too," I spit out.

"I'm just saying what everyone else is thinking. She doesn't belong here. You would know that if you weren't too busy looking at my ass." Well, he does have half a point there. I do look at his ass more than I should, but who could blame me?

I quickly push that mental image out of my head. "You know what, Edward? You need to suck it. You should be happy someone as amazing as Alice is even gracing you with her presence."

"Honey, it's your job to suck it, but I'll have you know I'm very talented at eating it."

I hear a chorus of scoffs and fake gags from the table.

"You're unbelievable, Edward." I turn back around to see if Alice is all right, only to find her with tears streaking down her face.

I can barely make out what she's saying, but it sounds like, "No one has ever said something so nice about me before, Bella. Thank you." Alice wraps her arms around me in a "tiny, but mighty" hug and I hug her back just as forcefully. Maybe Alice needs me as much as I need her.

 ***YTO***

It's not until Alice and I are driving home from Port Angeles that I finally confront her about her behavior at lunch. "So, you want to tell me why you've been avoiding a certain boy these past couple weeks?"

Her eyes don't divert from the road. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

I roll my eyes. "Oh, please. When I first met you, all you could talk about how badly you wanted to be friends with your brother's friends, and here you are, sitting with them at lunch every day, and yet, you only talk to me. What gives, Alice?"

"It's nothing."

"It's not nothing. You've wanted to be friends with these guys for years, why are you suddenly shy?"

"It's not that I'm shy… it's just EdwardtoldmethatifItriedtobefriendswithhisfriendsthenhewouldmakemylifemoreofalivinghell," she gets out all in one breath. Dang, she has got to teach me how she does that.

I blink twice. "Okay, say that again. This time, maybe go just a little bit slower."

Alice sighs heavily, but says it again. "Edward all but said that if I tried to be friends with his friends then he would make my life a living hell. I don't know why he hates me so much. We used to be so close when we were little. We shared everything. I told him everything, and he did the same. Now, I consider myself lucky if he says hi to me without looking like he wants to kill me where I stand."

"I'm sorry, Alice. I can't imagine what that feels like." Well, actually I can, but that's not the point here.

"And the thing that sucks the most is the fact that I think I could really, genuinely like, like Jasper. He's funny, sweet, smart, kind, and he's the only one, other than you, who hasn't stopped trying to talk to me. Not to mention, he's like the most beautiful guy on the planet." You're wrong about that, bud. That award goes to your brother, no matter how much of an arrogant prick he is.

"If you think you could have a chance with Jasper, Alice, then you need to take it. What's the point in living if you don't take any chances?" Wow, I'm a hypocrite. I can feel myself cringe inside. If only you knew, Alice.

"I don't know. It's just that –"

"No, stop making excuses, Alice. You're going to hate yourself later if you don't take a chance on this now. Go with your gut. Screw what everyone else, meaning your brother, thinks. Do what's right for you because no one else is going to know what that is."

I see a slight frown form on her face. "What if it doesn't work out and then my brother hates me more than he does already, and then Jasper ends up hating me too?"

"Then you'll have me." I hope. Maybe, He will stay away long enough for me to help Alice. Maybe, something good can come out of me coming to this town.

"You're a really good friend, Bella." No, I'm not. Our friendship is based off a lie.

I don't respond to her, but I can't help but wonder if she'll think that if He finds me again and if she gets caught in the crosshairs.

We drive in silence for the rest of the drive back to my house. I give Alice my 'thanks' and 'see you tomorrow' and run inside when she pulls into my driveway.

My nightmares are more intense tonight. I sleep for about two hours before I wake up, same as always, gasping for air. The hairs on my arms and the back of my neck are standing up and I can't help but feel like I'm being watched. I know better than to ignore my gut, so, I immediately grab my phone, ready to call 911 at any moment, my bat, Betsy, that I have kept by my bed since the moment I broke up with Him, and head to my window. I don't see anyone out there, but knowing that doesn't make the uneasy feeling in my stomach go away.

I quickly go downstairs to make sure all the doors are locked. Yep, all good.

I take another look outside to see if I see anything. I don't know if I'm relieved or worried when I can't find anything out of the ordinary.

"Get a grip, Bella. You're safe. He's not here. You're safe," I keep whispering this to myself to try and keep myself sane as I head into the kitchen for a glass of water.

I go back upstairs to my room and lie back down in my bed, but sleep evades me for the rest of the night. I just can't shake the feeling like something is wrong. I don't know what, but something isn't right anymore.

 ***YTO***

Over the next few days, I notice a change in Alice. She ignores Edward's scowls pointed at her. She talks, even flirts back, when Jasper talks to her. She's actively responding in the group conversations. It's an amazing change to see happening right in front of my eyes.

It's not until the next day that I realize that I'm not the only one who has noticed these changes in Alice.

I'm on my way to class when I hear whispered yells from not too far away. As I turn the corner, I see Edward and Jasper talking animatedly with each other. I strain my ears to hear what they're saying. I only pick up bits and pieces of the conversation at first, then I move a little closer to them without them noticing and hear everything.

"You know I'm a good guy, Edward. You know I'd do right by Alice. Why wouldn't you want that for her?"

"Because she's my sister! My little, dorky sister! I don't know why you'd even want to hang out with her in the first place! She's so weird and annoying. I can barely stand the little time I'm forced to spend with her. Why would you want to _willingly_ spend time with her?"

"She's not that little anymore, Edward! She's only four minutes younger than you! She's your damn twin sister! Come on, man. I couldn't think of a better person for me. She's everything I look for in a girl! You know this. You've _known_ this! You've been scaring her away from ever hanging out with us for years and it needs to stop now. She's a big girl, Edward. She can make decisions for herself and if she chooses me, then I really hope you're okay with that because you're my best friend. I don't want to lose you and I don't want to have to choose between you two. But look, I really like Alice, so please don't deny me or her this chance."

"Whatever, Jasper. Do what you want." Edward stomps away and heads in my direction. I try to hide, but it's no use. He's too close. When Edward sees me, he all but growls at me. "Shouldn't you be on your knees somewhere?"

I'm taken back by his comment, but ignore it when I see how angry he is. As he passes by me, I lightly grab his arm. "You know, if you actually got to know your sister a little bit, you might be surprised about how much you would like her."

"You don't know anything." Edward jerks his arm out of my grip and walks away.

How am I supposed to know anything if you I can't even have any sort of a conversation with him?

Maybe I can talk to Emmett tonight at the diner for some help.

 **A/N: What did you think? Make sure you leave a review to tell me your thoughts. See you next week!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thank all of those who reviewed/favorited/followed! I hope everyone enjoys this chapter! All mistakes are mine. See you at the bottom!**

 ****IMPORTANT** Okay, so I noticed a mistake that I made in the first chapter and I don't know how to go back and fix it so I'm telling you all now what's supposed to be right.**

 **When Alice asks Bella if she's wearing one of Renee Swan's designs, it should say Renee Dwyer's designs. BELLA'S AND RENEE'S LAST NAME RIGHT NOW IS SWAN. RENEE'S NAME WHEN SHE WAS A DESGINER WAS RENEE DWYER.**

 **Sorry for any confusion and the long A/N. If anyone can tell me how to go back and fix this, it would be greatly appreciated. And without furtherer ado, the next chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

 **"** **I'm friends with the monster that's under my bed. Get along with the voices inside of my head. You're trying to save me, stop holding your breath. And you think I'm crazy, yeah, you think I'm crazy." – Eminem ft. Rhianna – "The Monster"**

 **Chapter 5**

 **BPOV**

 **October 2015**

I walk into my house at the same time I always do after school, except this time, Mom is in the kitchen waiting for me. "Uh, hi, Mom. I thought you always had to work during this time of day?"

"I have the day off today, so I decided to spend some time daughter. Is there something wrong with that?"

Of course, she wants to spend time with me. Today, of all days when I have plans outside of school. Tonight is our – Emmett, Jasper, Alice, Edward, Emmett's girlfriend who I have yet to speak to and get her name, and my – weekly night out at the Forks Diner and my chance to ask Emmett if he knows why Edward hates his sister so much.

"Actually, I kind of already had plans with some friends with school..." I say, treading carefully.

"Friends? You already have new friends at school? Do you not remember the last time you had friends? One of them ended up in the hospital and in a coma from stab wounds for goodness sakes!"

That's it. The last thing I need is a lecture about that night, so instead of just putting up with her anger, I fight back. "You don't think I don't remember that? I was there! You weren't! I'm the one that has to relive it every night when I close my eyes! You think I want to put these people in that kind of danger by hanging out with them? Of course, I don't! I want nothing more than to just live my life without endangering anyone else, but I can't keep living like this! Not being able to talk to anyone! Being too scared to hang out with anyone in fear that He might show up! I have to take a chance somewhere. I can't keep waiting for my life to pass me by. For months I've been just a shell of a person, Mom. I haven't been living, I've been surviving life. I want to actually live my life." And with that, I storm out the door and head to the diner early.

How could she accuse me of not thinking about what happened to Jacob? I was the one there! I was the one He was aiming for! Stupid Jacob just decided to be a hero and stepped in front of me right as He was about to stab me.

I think about that moment every day and I will always think about it every day of the rest of my life. I owe Jacob my life.

I push back the tears that are threatening to fall over my cheeks and start my car and make my way to the diner.

I only have to wait in my car for about fifteen minutes before Alice and Jasper show up together. Those two have been nearly inseparable since Alice decided that she was going to take her life in her own hands. I'm not sure if they're officially dating yet, but it's coming, and I couldn't be happier for them.

I get out of my car to meet them when Emmett and his girlfriend pull up beside me and Edward right behind them. Great, we're all here.

"It's been too long! I've missed you guys! Come here, all of you. We need a group hug!" I look to Emmett and can't help but giggle. He's being completely serious. Edward comes around from behind him and smacks him upside the head.

"It's been like two hours since school let out, man. Grow a pair and let's go eat."

I, along with everyone else, burst out in laughter. Emmett tries to hit Edward back, but Edward easily moves around him to behind me. "Careful, Em. We wouldn't won't to hit everyone's favorite plaything, now would we?" I can't help but smile at Edward's playful tone. He's in a good mood now. I hope it sticks with him. He's so much more bearable to be around when he's like this.

I giggle as Emmett tries, unsuccessfully, to hit Edward again, whilst not hitting me. Eventually, he gives up. "Can we just go inside already? I'm starving."

We all agree and head inside. We sit in a large booth in the corner of the small diner, Alice on my left and Emmett on my right.

Conversation picks up, but I can't seem to stay focused. My mind keeps going back to what Mom said about the last time I had friends at a new place. It's bad enough that I have to relive that night in my dreams, but to hear her bring it up as if I don't feel guilty enough about it already is cruel.

"Earth to Bella!"

My eyes snap up to Alice's curious gaze. "Sorry. What'd I miss?"

I can see Jasper narrow his eyes at me from behind Alice. "We've been trying to get your attention for like two minutes straight. What are you thinking so intently about?"

I try to come up with a believable excuse on the spot. "I just have a lot of tests coming up these next few weeks. I'm just trying to figure out how I'm supposed to study for them all." I bite my lip and hope they buy it. It's not a total lie. I do have three tests coming up in the next two weeks, I just don't really have to worry about studying for them because I already know everything.

For the most part, everyone believes me and leaves me alone for the rest of the night. Every now and then, I'll tune back in and listen to the conversation for a few minutes. They're all so happy with their lives. I hate feeling like I'm the one that might ruin it one day.

My eyes catch Edward's a few times throughout the night too. His eyes bore into mine, as if he's trying to see into my soul. It's so intense, I end up having to look away first. His playful mood from the parking lot is gone and the Edward from this afternoon in school is back. Great, just another thing to add to the list.

That reminds me, I need to ask Emmett about what Edward's deal with Alice is. I lightly tap Em's shoulder in hopes of not making that big of a scene. To my utter surprise, Emmett doesn't cause a commotion as he leans over to me. "What's up, Bella?"

"If I ask you something, will you tell me the truth?"

His eyes narrow at me, "Of course. What's wrong?"

"Why does Edward hate his sister so much? Alice said they were really close when they were little, what happened?"

Emmett thinks for a moment before responds. "Honestly, Bella, I don't know. I just remember him coming into school one day, like five years ago, without Alice glued to his side. They were always together and then one day, they just weren't. It was like a switch got flipped. I mean, I hardly ever saw Alice, not that we were friends before, but it was still noticeable. It wasn't until you and she started sitting with us at lunch a few weeks ago that I remembered Edward ever being the dork he was in middle school."

I eye him skeptically. Edward, a dork? Yeah right.

"Yeah, you'd never know it now, but he was. But anyway, I don't know much more than that. You'd have to ask him if you want a better answer."

"Yeah, because he and I are always great with conversations." I know mine and Emmett's mind go to the same place: lunch this afternoon.

 _"_ _Does anyone have any aspirin or ibuprofen? I've got a killer headache," Alice groaned out from beside me._

 _"_ _I have some aspirin in my locker. I'll go get it when we head to class," I smile gently at her. I totally get how bad headaches can be._

 _Ten minutes later, everyone is surrounding my locker. I get the two pills and hand them to Alice. Everyone starts to head to class when I feel someone press themselves into me from behind. Their hands wrap around my waist possessively and I feel their lips at my ear._

 _"_ _If you were aspirin, I'd take you every four to six hours. Up against the wall. On the floor. In my bed. In your bed. In my car. On the kitchen table. On the desk. In the shower. Anywhere I could get my hands on you, princess._

 _For added affect, Edward pulls me tighter to him, so I can feel how every curve of his body lines up perfectly with mine._

 _Emmett turned around and eyed us suspiciously before calling Edward. With one more squeeze to my waist, he lets go and chases after Emmett._

 _Well, that's new._

 _I'd be lying if I didn't say I was extremely turned on by his actions and words. And to make it worse, that little smirk on his face was still there when he turned around and winked at me as he left, like he knew how much his words and actions affected me._

I shiver just thinking about it again.

"Yeah, I guess you're right about that. That boy thinks your sex on legs. Come on, let's go. We're getting ditched." Emmett gestures to the front door where everyone else was waiting for us. I guess we got so caught up with each other that we didn't even realize that everyone else had already left the table.

When we get outside, Alice immediately comes up to me and practically begs me to come over to her house this weekend. "Please, Bella! My parents are cooking out because it's supposed to be sunny and I really want to introduce them to my best friend!"

Did she just say best friend? As in me? I'm her best friend?

Well, this isn't good.

I can't help but think of my last best friend and what happened to him.

"Please! Please! Please! Please! Please! Please! Please! Please! Please! Please! Please! Please! Please! Please! Please!" Alice's constant voice in my ear is enough to bring me out of my thoughts.

"Okay, I'll come, but only if you stop begging!" Alice jumps up and down and then throws her arms around me.

"Yay! Thank you! We're going to have so much fun! My parents are going to love you! I can't wait to show you my closet! Oh, and better yet, my –"

I zone out and give Jasper a pleading look. He gives me a look that says he understands completely and literally picks Alice up where she stands and takes her to his car.

I smile, knowing that I had something to do with them getting together. At least I can do one thing right by this town and these people.

I make my way to my car, like I thought everyone else is, but I'm surprised when I hear footsteps behind me.

I turn around abruptly, expecting whoever it was to run into me, but Edward stops a hair in front of my chest. "What? Are you here to tell me about the many more ways you'd like to take me?"

That little smirk makes its appearance. "Not unless we can make one of them come true right now." He wiggles his eyebrows and tilts his head in a gesture to his car.

"Fat chance. What do you want, Edward?"

"What were you thinking about during dinner? And don't give me that bull shit answer about studying that you gave everyone else. You looked… distraught to say the least." I can't help but think that he actually cares. The tone of his voice is so sweet and considerate.

Instead of outright denying it like I would normally do, I take a different approach. "Why do you even care?"

"I don't."

"Then, why are you here?"

I try to walk back to my car, but he grabs my arm and tugs me back towards him **.**

"Look, I'm not trying to be an asshole here… it's just… you mean a lot to my sister which doesn't happen very often, so I don't want you to go fucking it up."

I'm completely thrown off by his answer, but I don't let it show. "Wow, the world class dick actually has a heart. Who knew?"

Edward sighs angrily. "Look, you may be fooling everyone else around here, but not me. So, unless you want everyone else to know that you're lying, I'd suggest you tell me what's going on."

I huff, and I want more than anything to slap that grin off his face. He knows he's got me now. "Look, I just have a lot stuff going on right now. Let me deal with it." Why does he even care?

"That's not good enough, Swan."

I want to stomp my foot in frustration. "I have a friend that's in the hospital and I don't know if he's going to make it. It's just been keeping me up at night for the past few weeks." There. That's more than anyone else could have ever gotten out of me. Now, just leave me alone. "I can deal with this on my own. Just let it go, Edward. You don't have to worry about me."

He doesn't answer verbally. He nods his head in understanding and lets go of my elbow. I walk back to my car without a second glance.

Mom isn't home when I get there. Part of me wonders where she is, but the bigger part of me can't find it in me to care. Today has been a very emotionally draining day. I quickly take my shower and head to bed.

That night, just like all the others, is plagued with nightmares from one of the worst nights of my life. Except this time, it doesn't start out as a nightmare.

I'm standing in my old room in Phoenix with the most beautiful prom dress I'd ever seen on. It was a two-piece, floor length, navy blue with a gold trim dress. It had an open back, a high neckline, and a Tully skirt. My short red hair was in loose curls and I had on some killer silver pumps on. I'd never felt so beautiful in my entire life.

With everything going on in my life, I never thought I'd be able to go to prom like a normal high schooler, yet here I was.

Before I knew it, I was being hauled off from my house and to the Sheraton Grand Phoenix's fancy hotel ballroom where prom was being held at with my date and very best friend, Jacob Black. We're dancing the night away and everything is perfect. It's the way every little girl dreams her prom would be. Then, everything changes.

"Do you want to get some air, Makayla? It's getting a little cramped in here."

I smile and nod at him.

He leads me outside the hotel, toward a bench where we can see all the lights of the city. "Have I told you look amazing tonight?"  
I giggle. "Yes, but you can say it again."

"You're so beautiful, Makayla."

I smile and lightly bump him with my shoulder. "Don't be going all sappy on me now, Jake. I might just have to take your man card from you."

"I would gladly give it to you if it meant I got to look at you every day for the rest of my life."

I can't help the blush that fills my cheeks.

"Aww, look at that. You've got yourself a little boyfriend, Marie." My blood runs cold when I hear His voice.

I stand up faster than I ever have before and turn to face the monster that found me.

"Oh, don't let me interrupt, Marie. Please continue."

"Why does he keep calling you Marie, Makayla? Do you even know this prick?" Jacob starts to step towards James, but I grab his arm and give him a pleading look. I don't care how big and tough Jacob is, he wouldn't win in a fight against James. He just wouldn't.

Thankfully, Jake senses my distress and comes back to my side.

"Oh, that's adorable, Marie. You haven't told him? He doesn't know what a dirty little girl you are? He doesn't know that you're my girl?" I can't help but tense at his words. "I'll take that as a no. I guess then I'll just have to show him."

James reaches for me with one hand and reaches inside his jacket pocket with the other. I barely have time to register that he just pulled out a knife before Jacob steps in front of me.

"No!" I can't help the scream that comes out of my mouth.

One moment, Jacob is standing in front of me and in the next, he's falling to the ground, clutching his side. James immediately jumps on top of him and begins stabbing him repeatedly. I try to pull James off of him, but instead I get shoved to the ground. "I'm the only person you're allowed to date, baby. I've got to teach you your lesson somehow."

I hold back the vomit that threatens to come up.

After what seems like hours of me trying to shove him off of Jacob, James stops stabbing Jake. I get as close to Jake as I can, trying to see if he's still alive. "Come on, Jake. You're okay. You're going to be okay. Don't die on me!" But, I know my words are useless. I can't even begin to count the fresh stab wounds all over his body.

Tears are now freely flowing down my face as I turn to face James. "Don't look at me like that, Marie. He had it coming. You're mine and you always will be. I just needed to remind you of it. It doesn't matter where you go, I will always find you."

"You're sick." I grab the knife James left inside of Jake's body and throw it at him. To my surprise and happiness, the edge of the knife sticks in his lower abdomen. James howls in pain and hunches over.

"I'm going to get you for that, you little bitch!"

James tries to run after me, but isn't able to keep up with me because of the now profusely bleeding wound in his side. When I think I'm far enough away, I take a moment to get my phone out of clutch and call 911.

"911, what's your emergency?" the dispatcher asks.

"There's been an accident. My best friend… he's been stabbed multiple times." I don't know if she can understand me because I'm crying so hard. I've become hysterical.

"Where are you, Miss?"

"He's at the Sheraton Grand Phoenix hotel near the bench in front of it. The attacker… I did the best I could, but he's still trying to come after me." I turn around to find James within one hundred feet of me and start running as fast as I can.

"Miss, please stay on the line until we can get someone to you." I vaguely register sirens in the background.

"He's getting closer! I'm afraid of what he'll do to me. Take care of Jacob first! I don't even know if he's still breathing," I choke out.

"Miss please –"

I trip on a curb and break one of my heels. I don't even think twice before dropping my phone, my clutch, and my other shoe before taking off again. I run for what feels like miles until I can't breathe anymore.

And just like every other night, I wake up gasping for air, just waiting for the day when I turn around to find James' sinister smile staring back at me.

 **A/N: Thoughts? Review and tell me! Did anyone see that twist coming? PLEASE GO BACK AND READ THE BEGINNING A/N IF YOU DIDN'T ALREADY! IT'S VERY IMPORTANT! If you want to see what Bella's prom dress looks like, here's the link. www . promgirl** **shop / dresses / viewitem - PD1772001** **(remove the spaces). See you next week!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thank all of those who reviewed/favorited/followed! I hope everyone enjoys this chapter! All mistakes are mine. See you at the bottom!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

 **"** **You got that healing that I want. Just like they say it in the song, until the dawn let's Marvin Gaye and get it on." – Charlie Puth ft Meghan Trainor – "Marvin Gaye"**

 **Chapter 6**

 **BPOV**

 **October 2015**

When Alice asked me to come over on Saturday, I never actually thought she meant that I would have to get up at nine in the morning. I have no idea how I managed to drag myself out of bed this early on the weekend. This day had better be worth it.

I get dressed in a pair of leggings, Ugg boots, and a white, long sleeve t-shirt. I was going for cute and comfortable, yet something still nice enough to meet Alice's and Edward's parents in.

I go down stairs to fix a light breakfast for myself and head out the door. I stop dead in my tracks when I see my mom sitting in the living room watching the news. I haven't talked to her in a couple of days. Neither one of us want to cave in first and apologize from our heated argument the other day.

I barely glance at her when I pass her on my way to the kitchen, but from what I can tell, she just got home from work and she's getting ready to go to bed.

I'm about to swallow my pride and talk to her when I hear what's being said on the TV. "…And now, here is the story that's been weighing on the hearts of viewers nationally for the past month. Jacob Black has now been released from the hospital after being in a medically induced coma for almost a month, due to the excessive blood loss from multiple deep stab wounds. When asked about that near fatal night, he told our reporter, Cindy Wright, that he was trying to stop the perpetrator from attacking his prom date, Makayla Bell, when he got stabbed. The perpetrator, James Hunter, has still not been caught. This is only one in a series of crimes he's committed and not been executed for in the past two years. Other crimes include breaking and entering, assault and battery, near homicide, and repetitive st –"

"Can you please turn that off? I really don't want another reminder of everything James has put us through, okay?" I ask with the least amount of attitude I can muster.

She turns to me. "You and me both, kid. Look, I'm sorry for what I said the other day. While I can't say I'm happy that you're putting these people in danger, I am happy that you have someone to go to now. I'm going to bed. Goodnight."

She's half way up the stairs before I even get the chance to say, "Night, Mom."

Nice chat.

I push thoughts of James and Jacob out of my head and make my way over to Alice's house. I'm here to make the best I can out of my situation, not relive the past, even if it still haunts me.

I type in Alice's address into my phone's GPS and head over to her house. I drive for about twenty minutes, out of town, and into a very woodsy and uninhabited by anything other than squirrels and dear, part of Forks to get to their house. I nearly miss their driveway because it's so hidden by trees and bushes.

I make a hard left and head down their driveway. I drive, for what seems like forever, before a beautiful, three story mansion comes into view.

Holy crap.

The Cullen's are freaking loaded.

I park in front of their house and make my way to the front door. Before I even get close to ringing the doorbell, Alice opens it and pulls me in for a tight hug. "I'm so happy you came, Bella!"

How the hell is she so bright and cheery so early this morning?

"I told you I would, Alice. Thanks for inviting me."

"Of course! You're my best friend! My home is your home!"

There's those words again.

I can't help the onslaught of images that crash into my head of a bloodied and nearly dead best friend of mine, not even a month ago. And what's worse is that he's like that because of me.

I shake my head to clear it. Now is not the time to drown in my self-pity.

"Hey, Alice? Why didn't you tell me you're like hella rich?"

She actually has the nerve to look bashful right now. "Sorry, it's not something I like to talk about. For years, I could never tell if people were hanging out with me for me or for my money, so when you came along, I wanted to see if you liked me for me unlike all the others."

I know exactly how you feel, Alice. You just can't know that right now.

Behind her, I see a woman with caramel hair and a beautiful face coming toward us.

"You must be Bella," the woman says with a huge smile on her face.

I smile and nod at her.

"It's so nice to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you from my children that I feel as if I already know all about you."

Well, I sure hope not.

Alice steps in and introduces her to me, "Bella, this is my mom."

"Hi, Mrs. Cullen. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Oh, sweetie, call me Esme. Mrs. Cullen is my mother-in-law and it definitely don't want to meet her. She's the devil."

I can't help the giggles that come out of my mouth.

"Esme, have you seen my brush that I clean the grill with? I can't seem to find it an – Oh, hi. You must be Bella."

I smile at the tall, beautiful, blonde man in front of me. So, Edward gets his good looks from both of his parents. "That's me."

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Alice hasn't stopped talking about you since you two met." He gives Alice a pointed look and she blushes.

I giggle. I can completely understand what he's talking about. Alice is quite the chatterbox.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Cullen."

"Please call me Carlisle, Bella. Mr. Cullen makes me feel old."

Esme smacks him lightly on the arm. "You are old."

Alice and I both erupt in a fit of laughter.

"Thirty-eight is not old, woman! You're approaching thirty-six, should I start calling you old?"

"You wouldn't dare." Esme crosses her arms and turns to face him completely.

"I know." Carlisle pecks her nose and turns to us.

I smile at their playfulness. It's nice to see parents who truly love each other and still act like it even after years of marriage. I never had that growing up.

"Alice, why don't you go help your father with the grill outside?" Esme suggests.

Alice looks like she's about to protests, but Esme stops her. "Don't worry. I'll keep Bella company in here."

Alice looks at me and reluctantly nods her head and heads outside with her dad.

Great. Now I'm all alone with a woman I hardly know.

"Do you know how to cook, Bella?"

Despite the awkwardness of not knowing each other, I smile at Esme's question.

"Yes, I love cooking."

"Great! You can help me make the cookies. We're making my grandmother's homemade chocolate cookies for the cookout."

"That sounds like fun. What do you want me to do first?"

Esme smiles and leads me to their enormous kitchen full of the most expensive stainless-steel appliances.

We talk about nothing in particular for a few minutes while we wash up and get the ingredients together when we both hear the front door open and shut. Edward walks into the kitchen seconds later.

"Hey, sweetie, what are you doing home? I thought you and your friends were supposed to hang out today?"

To my surprise, Edward spoke very sweetly to his mother. "Rosalie got a stomach bug, so Emmett is at her house taking care of her, and Jasper is still pissed at me." I half-way expected him to tell her to fuck off, considering how he treats his sister, but it's surprisingly nice to hear the sweet tone in his voice.

He is definitely a momma's boy.

"Why is Jasper angry at you?"

Edward's eyes shift to mine. "It's nothing. He'll get over it soon enough."

I narrow my eyes at him. Yeah, right. Alice and Jasper have all but been glued to the hip for the last few weeks. He's the one that needs to get over it.

"Well, I hope everything works out, baby. Would you like to join us? Bella and I were just about to make some cookies while Alice is outside with your father."

"That actually sounds like fun. What do you want me to do?"

I can tell I'm not the only one shocked by Edward's declaration. Esme struggles to come up with a response, so I fill in for her. "Come help me mix the ingredients together."

Edward nods and comes over towards me. Surprisingly, Edward listens to what I say, and we finish our part of the cookies in no time. When I turn to tell Esme that we are about to put the cookies into the oven, her phone rings.

"Esme Cullen."

Esme's eyes narrow at the wall and she shakes her head, aggravated.

"I told him not to mess with it until Monday! If I don't come and fix this now, then it will be ruined." She huffs. "I'll be there in twenty minutes, Kate." She turns and looks over to us apologetically.

"What's wrong, Mom?" Edward asks, sounding genuinely concerned.

Who knew Edward Cullen had a soft spot for his Mom.

"One of my employees at work messed with some design plans of mine and now I have to go to work and fix them before they begin construction on the building. If I don't go now, then the entire job could be jeopardized. I'm really sorry guys, but this shouldn't take very long."

"Don't worry, Esme. We'll finish the cookies for you."

Esme smiles at me. "Thank you, dear. I'm sure I'm leaving everything in your more than capable hands." She glances at Edward. "Just don't let him near anything that gets hot. Poor boy has a history of trying to burn the house down when attempting to cook." And with that, Esme walks out the door.

My eyes go wide, and I look to Edward for the story behind her warning.

"Not a chance, princess."

"Oh, come on. That's got to be a great story."

"Not one you're going to hear."

I roll my eyes and huff. I turn to put the cookies in the stove and set the timer for twenty minutes. I begin putting the dirty dishes and the rest of the ingredients up when I feel him come up behind me. He doesn't move or say anything, he just stands right behind me.

I turn around, ready to ask what he's doing, but he beats me to it. "How's your friend?"

I can feel my face scrunch up in confusion. "What friend?"

"The one you said was in the hospital and you said you didn't know if he was going to make it."

My eyes widen when I realize he's talking about Jacob. Shit! I knew telling Edward about him the other day was going to come back to bite me in the ass. I shouldn't have said that to him, nothing that could give away why I really moved to this town.

On the other hand, I'm flabbergasted and completely in awe that Edward remembered, let alone is asking me about him right now. Sometimes, I really don't understand boys. They're totally distant one minute and concerned the next.

"Gee, don't look so shocked. I do have a heart, you know."

Oh, crap. I never answered him. I've just been staring at him like an idiot for the past two minutes. "Sorry, I just didn't expect you to say that. And he's fine. He actually just got out of the hospital yesterday."

"Good." Was his only response.

"Why do you care?" I couldn't help but ask. He's been nothing but a perverted prick to me since we met, why the sudden change of heart?

"Look, I know you think I'm an asshole, but I'm trying to make things right. You clearly mean a great deal to my sister. I mean, she hasn't had friends over in years. So, if you're going to be a part of her life, then you're going to be a part of mine. That means we should at least try to get along right?"

He sounds so sincere right now. Maybe he really does care about his sister and her well-being. But still, it's so weird seeing him so serious, I can't help but tease him a little bit to take the edge off the conversation.

"And here I thought you just wanted in my pants."

He smirks and steps closer to me, making me take a step back and press myself into the countertop with my hands on top of it. "Oh, baby, I still do. You want to remedy that right now?" He wiggles his eyebrows at me suggestively.

I giggle at him and place my hand on his chest. I hold back my laughter when I see I just put a hand-shaped hand print on his black shirt. I must have gotten some flour on my hand just a second ago.

Edward looks down at his chest and then back up to me, his eyes wide with mischief. "Why you little –"

He doesn't get to finish because I pick up some more flour from the countertop and put it in his hair.

"Low blow, Swan."

"I actually blow something a little lower, Cullen."

He reaches behind me and picks up some flour, lays his hand out flat in front of my face, and blows.

Now, I'm covered in spit and flour. Instead of laughing it off and stopping this like a lady would, I grab a handful of flour from behind me and chuck it at Edward. Before I even get the chance to revel in my victory, I feel flour pouring down my face. I look up to see Edward's satisfied little smirk.

He just dumped the rest of the bag on me.

"That's it!" I yell as I lunge for him, not exactly knowing what I'm going to do, but it seems like the only logical step forward.

I crash into his strong chest, which causes us to fall to the floor. I expected to land harshly on my stomach, but Edward catches me as we land, his hands firmly grasping my waist.

I look up to find Edward staring at me intently. He looks so beautiful right now. Laid back, smirk on his face, mischief in his eyes, flour in his hair. I never thought I'd see the day when he's this relaxed and playful.

I can't help it when my eyes find his lips. They're just begging me to kiss him. I bet he tastes good, too. I, unconsciously, bite my lip in anticipation.

It seems like Edward's thinking the same thing because he starts moving closer to me. We get about an inch apart when we both hear the door opening. We jump apart simultaneously and look at the intruder to what would have been the best kiss of my life.

"Hey, Bella, are you ready for–"

Alice stops short when she sees her brother and I on the floor, covered in flour.

"Okay, I do not want to know."

I turn to Edward and smile at him. I see the same knowing look in his eye and we slowly start to get up.

"We were just having some fun, weren't we Bella?"

"Definitely, Edward. You should have some fun too, Alice."

"Wh–"

Edward and I attack her with flour before she even has a chance to scream.

We get her from both sides until she starts to move towards the refrigerator. She opens it and pulls out some eggs. My eyes go wide as I realize her intentions. I look at Edward for help, but he's smirking at his sister, mini chocolate chips in hand, ready to throw back. I quickly dive to the floor to avoid the firing zone. I end up next to the fridge and grab the first thing I see: mustard.

I quickly grab it and squeeze as hard as I can. The look on Alice's face when she realizes that her clothes are about to be drenched in mustard is completely priceless.

Now out of eggs, Alice reaches for the bottle of chocolate syrup next and aims it at me. I look at both of them in horror. It seems like the Cullen twins are ganging up against me.

I do the best I can to defend myself with my bottle of mustard, but it's no use. Alice's chocolate syrup is drenching me while Edward's chocolate chips are starting to stick to me. All the while, I'm still squirting mustard furiously from the ground.

I'm about to run out of mustard when I hear footsteps behind me.

"What in the world happened here?"

My eyes go wide when I hear Mrs. Cullen's words. I look to Edward and Alice for their reaction, but they're both grinning like idiots. Edward slings his arm around Alice as if they're best friends and says, "We're just having some fun, Mom. Want to join?"

"Edward Cullen if you even think about throwing or squirting a single thing at me, I will show you what a real food fight looks like."

I stand up and turn around to face Mrs. Cullen. "The cookies should be almost done by now." I give her my best apologetic smile.

"I'll finish everything else. You guys go clean up," she says with a laugh.

I smile at her and make my way to the stairs, Alice and Edward in tow. Edward tugs me by the elbow, so I turn to face him.

Edward moves closer to me and whispers in my ear where no one else can hear him. "Nice bra, princess. Maybe one day you'll let me take it off you." Crap! I just had to wear a white shirt with a purple bra underneath, didn't I?

He lightly runs his lips across my ear as he talks, "You look good enough to eat, kitten. I can't wait for the day that you finally let me." I can't help the shiver that runs through me as I think about his words.

I can picture the scene perfectly.

 _Edward's lips are glued to mine as my hands roam his chest. When I get to bottom of his shirt, I tug on it, signaling for him to take it off. He pulls back for a split second to do so before reattaching his lips to my throat._

 _He makes his way down my neck, taking turns between sucking on it and nibbling on it. I can't help the moan that comes out of me as he makes his way down the dip in between my breasts._

 _I moan in protest as he pulls back, even if it is only to pull my shirt off. He slings it off to the corner of his room somewhere. He takes a step back from me to admire my now shirtless body. His eyes are filled with lust and want, and I'm sure mine look exactly the same._

 _With a sudden burst of confidence, I reach behind me to unclasp my bra and let it fall to the floor, leaving myself completely bare to him. I swear I see his eyes go completely black before he collides his body with mine._

 _He starts walking us back to his bed. When I feel my legs hit the back of it, I lie down on it, pulling Edward with me._

 _To my initial disappointment, he doesn't press his body into mine, instead he just stares at me._

 _I start to squirm under his intense gaze before he reconnects his lips to mine. "You're so beautiful, Bella."_

 _"_ _Edward please."_

 _I feel his smirk on my body. "Please what, princess? Tell me what you want, baby."_

 _I moan in frustration. He's lightly blowing on my breasts, but he has yet to touch them._

 _"_ _Touch me, Edward."_

 _"_ _I thought you'd never ask." And with that, he dives right in, his mouth sucking pleasurably on one breast and his hand kneading the other._

 _I nearly scream at his sudden movement, but hold it in at the last moment. Edward notices and kisses his way up to my lips. "Don't be quiet, baby. I want to hear you. I want everyone to know how I can make you feel." I nod and kiss him forcefully._

 _I can feel a knot forming in my stomach. Everywhere he touches me, he leaves a trail of fire and suddenly I can't get close enough to him._

 _Edward breaks our kiss so we can breathe, but his lips never leave my body. He makes his way back toward my breasts, only pausing to kiss my nipples, and starts going lower. When he gets to my naval, his tongue flicks out and licks me. I don't hold in my moan this time._

 _He goes lower until he reaches my pants. He expertly unbuttons them along with my panties, and pulls them down my legs. He kisses his way back up my legs, starting with my calf, then under my knee, then my inner thigh and then finally his tongue peeks out to taste my –_

Right as Edward's about to lick me right where I need him the most, I'm snapped out of my day dream as Alice comes up to me. "Close your mouth, Bella. You'll catch flies that way."

I stare back at Alice in shock. I can't believe I just imagine having sex with her brother while they were both right next to me. I feel the heat rush to my face.

Alice laughs. "Come on, Bella. Let's go get something a little less semi-edible on."

I nod, but keep my eyes on Edward's. He knows exactly what his words do to me and what I was thinking about.

Stupid, cocky, smug, hot bastard.

 **A/N: What did you guys think? Let me know in a review! See you next week!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey guys, while I did get a lot of new favorite and follow alerts on the last chapter, I only got one review. I was so disappointed. While I do write for myself, I LOVE hearing feedback from all of you, so to only get one, single review on the longest chapter of my story so far… well, it's disheartening to say the least. Please, please, please, tell me what you think about what happens in my story. I can't tell you guys how much they make my day. Anyways, on to the next chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

 **"** **Hold, hold on, hold onto me 'cause I'm a little unsteady, a little unsteady." – X Ambassadors – "Unsteady"**

 **Chapter 7**

 **BPOV**

 **October 2015**

As soon as Alice and I get up to her room, she bombards me with questions.

"So, when did you start liking my brother?" She asks with a knowing look.

I can't even look her in the eyes as I lie to her. "What are you talking about? I don't like your brother."

"Yeah, right. You were practically drooling in the kitchen over what he said to you." Her eyebrows rise, daring me to contradict her.

I hang my head, knowing she'd caught me.

She smiles in victory. "So, what'd he say to you?"

I blush and look away.

"That bad, huh?"

"No, not bad at all actually," I say, feeling the heat rushing to my cheeks.

"You guys are totally going to do the dirty."

Did she just say, 'do the dirty?' Oh, Alice please tell me you're not that innocent.

Either way, I ignore her seven-year-old comment. "Yeah, right, Alice. Your brother is still the annoying ass from the first day of school." I don't know who I was trying to convince, me or her.

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that but if you do _do it_ with him, I just want you to know that it's all right with me."

I smile at that.

Alice heads over to her closet and pulls out a pair of sweatpants. "I think this might be the only thing of mine that would fit you."

I look Alice up and down. She really is a little shrimp of a girl. I try to put the sweatpants on, but they don't even go down to my ankles.

When I put on the t-shirt she gives me, we both laugh at how ridiculous I look.

"Maybe you should go ask my brother for some clothes?" She wiggles her eyebrows suggestively.

"You're going to love torturing me over this, aren't you?"

"You wouldn't be my best friend if I didn't," she says smugly.

There's that word again. This time though, I'm able to brush it off with a smile. I shake my head. "All right, where's his room?"

"Down the hall and to the right. It's the last door to your left. Have fun and don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Honey, if I only did what you would do, I wouldn't go anywhere past first base.

I make my way down to Edward's room. I don't know what I'm supposed to say to him. He knows I've thought about having sex with him. He knows how those thoughts affected me. How am I supposed to go into his room, moments later, and borrow some of his clothes?

Guess there's only one way to find out.

His door is slightly open when I get there so, I take that as a cue to just walk on in. "Hey, Edward? I was wondering if I could borrow some clothes because Alice's are way too small for –" I don't get a chance to finish because I run into something very hard. I look up and down and –

Holy crap.

Edward Cullen is only in his boxers.

I move backwards slightly which causes me to lose my balance and fall. I don't hit the floor because Edward's strong arms catch me at the last second and bring me back to him, chest to chest. I can literally feel every inch of his body pressed against mine. Every edge and crevice of his body fits perfectly into mine. It feels gloriously wonderful and then there's his –

"See what you do to me, princess?" He practically moans out as he rubs his very hard and prominent erection into me.

I let myself get caught up in the moment, consequences be damned.

Edward starts to kiss my neck and moves his hands to my butt, pulling me closer to him.

My hands roam his back and when he starts to grind himself into me. I dig my nails into his back. My breath hitches and I let out a small moan.

Was I not just day dreaming about this ten minutes ago? And now it's a reality? Dang, this boy works fast.

He kisses the side of my lips, but before he gets the chance to kiss me fully on the lips, someone knocks on the door.

"Edward! Food is ready!"

"Fucking cockblocking parents," he grumbles as he pulls his lips away from mine.

I giggle and hide my face in his chest.

"Why'd you come in here, Bella? I know you weren't expecting that," he whispers in my hair.

"Alice's clothes are too small for me, so I was going to see if I could borrow a pair of sweats and a t-shirt."

He reluctantly lets go of me and walks to his closet. I can't help the laughter that escapes me.

"What?"

"I think you need to take a shower."

"Yeah, I know I need a cold one to get rid of my little problem."

Definitely not little.

I blush. "No! I mean your chest. It's now covered in mustard, chocolate syrup, flour, and chocolate chips."

"Sure you don't want to just lick it off me?" I blush at his words. He hands me his clothes and kisses my forehead. "I'm kidding, princess."

I smile and nod at him, too embarrassed by my previous actions to form a response. I head for the door.

"Tell everyone I'm taking a shower and that I'll be down there in a little bit."

"Okay."

What am I thinking? How could I practically dry hump a half-naked Edward Cullen? Well, I mean I know the how part. But the why? Why would I do that? Edward has been nothing but a horny prick since the day that I met him.

 _But,_ he is the only one that noticed I was out of it the other night. And he remembered and asked about Jacob. And he's nice to his mom. And he's so beautiful. And damn, if his body didn't feel amazing pressed up against mine. I nearly moan at the thought of it.

Oh, Edward Cullen, what are you doing to me?

I shake him out of my thoughts and head back to Alice's room to wash up and change. We go back downstairs and outside to help her parents set up the picnic table for our cookout.

After being outside for no more than ten minutes, I ask Alice, "It's freezing out here. I thought you said it was going to be warm today, Alice?"

She huffs and crosses her arms, trying to warm up too. "No, I distinctly said that it was going to be sunny. I never said anything about it being warm."

I guess that's Forks' weather for you.

"You should've warned me that I was going to be freezing my butt off out here and maybe I would've actually brought a jacket."

"Oh, hush. We're roughing it."

Edward takes this moment to make his presence known. He takes one look at my appearance – arms crossed in front of my chest, shivering, hair wet from getting the food out of it, thin cotton t-shirt of his on – and immediately starts to take off his hoodie he was wearing. When he goes to hand it to me, I can't help the blush that rushes to my face.

"Oh, no, Edward. I'm fine, really." He raises his eyebrow at me, knowing I'm lying.

I bet his jacket smells like him. Why am I not taking it again?

"Well, if you're not going to take it, I most certainly will!"

I smile at Alice. Edward tosses his hoodie to her and she quickly puts it on.

"I don't understand why you don't just get one of your own jackets, squirt."

"Why would I do that when I now have yours?"

Edward shakes his head and tries to hide his laughter.

The wind starts to pick up and the temperature decreases significantly. Finally, Esme suggests that we forgo the whole cookout idea and save our fingers and toes for the future and continue inside.

It's about time if you ask me.

When we finish setting up the table and get ready to eat, Carlisle breaks the silence. "So, Bella, I hear you've just recently moved to Forks."

"Yes, sir. My mom and I wanted a change of scenery." I hope they believe it and leave it at that.

So much for wishful thinking.

"Where did you move here from, Bella?"

I hesitate. I can't tell them about Phoenix – any clues about my past will do nothing but cause trouble, so I just think of the first place that comes to mind. "Georgia."

Carlisle's smile grows. It seems I've piqued his interest. Great. Just great. "Oh, really? Where at? We have family that live in down in Milledgeville, Georgia. Which part did you move here from?"

"We lived just west of Atlanta." I answer vaguely. I don't know any other cities in Georgia and the only reason I know Atlanta is because that's where Mom and I flew from when we moved up here.

"So, you lived near Covington, Georgia then? We have to go through there to get to my cousins' place."

Here's my out! "Yeah, that was close by. Nice place."

"Wait, Dad, I thought we went east to get to Carmen and Eleazar's place?" Edward asks, eyeing me suspiciously.

"I think you're right, Edward." Everyone looks at me expectantly.

"Yeah, you're right! I'm sorry. Directions are not my thing." My pathetic excuse of a save seems to be taken decently well and Alice starts asking her dad about some new clothing line coming out soon.

I discreetly take a breath of relief. That was close, too close.

Still, everyone seems to take my answers, everyone except Edward. I don't even know why I'm surprised that he's the only who doesn't buy it. He did nothing but scrutinize me the entire time I talked. I just hope for his sake and mine that he lets it be. He doesn't need to know the underlying facts of my life. I can't drag him into something that he shouldn't even know about in the first place.

Thankfully, no one makes me the center of the conversation for the rest of the meal.

Once we finish eating, we head to their family room for board games. Apparently, cooking out and game night used to be a big deal in their house once upon a time. The twins used to always tag team against their parents and blow them away.

I can't help but remember the times when my own family would get together like this. Mom, Charlie, and me. We used to be the three amigos, always so close and always together. Back when my entire life was perfect. Looking back now, it feels like a dream. Will anything in my life ever go back to the way things were before James?

"– blue or green, Bella?"

"I'm sorry, what?" I direct my thoughts to Esme now, thankful for the distraction.

"What color do you want to be? Red, yellow, blue, or green?" She asks, pointing to the game pieces.

"Green," I say, catching Edward's smirk as I glance at him.

We play _Sorry_ for what seems like hours and true to their parent's word, Edward and Alice team up and completely murder the rest of us.

I never thought I'd see the day when Edward acts like a big brother should to his little sister. He was encouraging, sweet, teasing, playful, and most of all, you could see his adoration for Alice in his eyes. I've never seen this side of him before.

I like it. He's not trying to impress anyone. He's being himself – caring, playful, loveable. It's such a contrast from the horny, brooding, asshole that I've gotten to know these past several weeks.

I've never seen these two so happy together. It's an amazing thing to witness considering all the horrible things I've seen and heard when I've been around them before.

After our fifth defeat, I glance at the clock. It's already after eight. I sigh and look around me. I don't want to leave this family. I don't have much of one to go home to and that breaks my heart more than anything.

Gathering up my courage, I stand up. "I think it's time for me to go. Thank you for the wonderful day, Mr. and Mrs. Cullen."

They both give me a pointed look and I blush. "Esme and Carlisle."

"That's better, sweetie. Here, let me walk you to the door," Esme says. We get to the front door when she pulls me to the side just a little. "Thank you for helping my children get along. I didn't think I'd ever see the day where they smiled and laughed with each other again. You've made my dreams for them come true and I will forever be in your debt."

I don't have anything to say to that, so I smile and nod at her.

Alice yells at me from across the room, "Thanks for coming over, Bella, but there is no way I'm walking you out! I would come back half-frozen if I stepped foot outside in this!" she said, gesturing to her pajamas.

I smile and roll my eyes at her. I wave goodbye to everyone and make my way out the door and to my car.

To my surprise, Edward walks me out, despite the falling temperature.

"You're hiding something, Bella Swan, and I'm going to find out what it is." I look away as he says this. "Oh, and here's your phone back."

I can feel the shock written on my face. "How did you –?"

"I've got many skills, Swan. Maybe one day you'll let me show you."

I take my phone back from him and ignore his innuendo. I check my phone in my car, trying to figure out what he did with it and find one new number in my contact list.

Edward.

 **A/N: What did you guys think? Let me know in a review! What did you guys think about Edward and Bella's almost make out session? Any theories on how Charlie fits into the family? See you next week!**


	8. Chapter 8

**/N: Thank all of those who reviewed/favorited/followed! I hope everyone enjoys this chapter! All mistakes are mine. See you at the bottom!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

 **"** **Hands up, now suddenly we all got our hands up. No control of my body. Ain't I seen you before? I think I remember those eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes, e-e. 'Cause baby tonight the DJ got us falling in love again." – Usher ft Pitbull – "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love"**

 **Chapter 8**

 **BPOV**

 **October 2015**

For the first time in who knows how long, I'm late to school. I don't know how it happened. I am always, and I mean always, awake and ready to go to school before eight. But for some reason, not that I'm complaining, my body and mind let me sleep in. I didn't wake up from any nightmares. In fact, I haven't had a nightmare in two weeks, which is basically a miracle in my book.

The fact that I'm late also means that I don't get to see anyone until lunch. When I get there, I see smiles all around. I take my seat in between Alice and Edward and try to catch up on the conversation I missed.

"… throwing a party this weekend. Everyone's going right?"

Everyone but me smiles and agrees. "Wait, who's throwing a party?"

Alice turns to me, practically jumping out of her seat. "Tyler Crowley is throwing his annual Halloween party on Saturday! We all got invited! I'm so excited! I already have our costumes picked out Bella! This is going to be so much fun!"

My blood runs cold at the thought of a party. "Yeah, sorry Alice, but I'm not going?"

A chorus of 'what's' attack me. "What do you mean you're not going, Bella! You have to!" Alice cries out, louder than the rest.

"Sorry, Alice, but parties aren't my thing anymore." I can't make eye contact with her. I hear a couple of groans in disappointment, but I don't pay any attention to them because I suddenly feel a hand on my thigh. I look up to see Edward's concerned and curious eyes on me. I just shake my head at his questioning look. He seems to take that for an answer, but his hand stays on my thigh.

"But, Bella! You have to go!" This time it wasn't Alice who was begging me to go; it was Emmett. He gives me his best puppy dog face which only makes him look like an overgrown two-year-old.

I laugh at him. "Nope, Em. I'm not going. I don't drink."

At least, not any more I don't.

"Then don't drink! You can be the designated driver! It'll be perfect, Bella!"

I glance at Alice warily. "Alice, I really shouldn't…" I can't tell her the reason why… She just wouldn't understand… No one would.

"You won't be alone, Bella. I won't drink either if it will make you feel better and if it means that you'll come," Edward whispers in my ear.

I shiver as his breath hits my neck. "You guys, I really don't think me going is a good idea."

"Please, Bella. Please, Bella. Please, please, please, Bella! Please, Bella. Please, Bella. Please, please, please, Bella! Please, Bella. Please, Bella. Please, please, please, Bella! Please, Bella. Please, Bella. Please, please, please, Bella! Please, Bella. Please, Bella. Please, please, please, Bella! Please, Bella. Please, Bella. Please, please, please, Bella! Please, Bella. Please, Bella. Please, please, please, Bella! Please, Bella. Please, Bella. Please, please, please, Bella! Please, Bella. Please, Bella. Please, please, please, Bella! Please, Bella. Please, Bella. Please, please, please, Bella! Please, Bella. Please, Bella. Please, please, please, Bella! Please, Bella. Please, Bella. Please, please, please, Bella! Please, Bella. Please, Bella. Please, please, please, Bella! Please, Bella. Please, Bella. Please, please, please, Bella! Please, Bella. Please, Bella. Please, please, please, Bella! Please, Bella. Please, Bella. Please, please, please, Bella!"

"OKAY I'LL GO. JUST SHUT UP, EMMETT!" Dear goodness, that boy just does not give up.

Cheers erupt from around the table and Edward squeezes my thigh in supporting. When I look at him, his eyes are full of concern and question, but he doesn't press me, thankfully.

I really hope I don't regret doing this.

On Friday, Alice could not stop talking about the party on Saturday. Her endless chatter about what we were going to wear was completely exhausting. To ease her nerves about what to wear, I invite her to get ready at my house to give her full access to my closet. I'm pretty sure she nearly had a heart attack at the thought of seeing it. I guess Renee's constant push about having the best of the best clothes no matter where we are is finally coming in handy for someone.

When Saturday night comes around, Alice and I spend more time than I'd like to admit getting ready. Since it's not a costume Halloween party, Alice is being extra picky about what she's going to wear.

"Why do you care so much, Alice? It's just a party."

Alice huffs and walks away from my closet, "It's not just a party. It's the first party I've ever been invited to, much less had a boyfriend to take me to. I just want tonight to be perfect."

"Oh, Alice. It's just a high school party. There are more important things in life."

"Easy for you to say," she whispers so softly I don't think I was meant to hear it.

I smile sadly at her. "If tonight really means this much to you, then wear this. This has always been my favorite go to outfit." I hand her my black velvet mini skirt with a white, off the shoulder crop top, and a pair of black thigh high boots.

Alice eyes me skeptically. "Bella, you do know that it's almost snowing outside, right? I'm literally going to freeze to death."

I giggle at her naivety. She really never has been to a party before. "Most of the party will be inside, around a bunch of other people, not to mention that once you start drinking, you won't notice the cold at all. Besides, beauty over pain, as my mom always likes to say."

Alice looks over the outfit once more. "Okay. I guess you're right. I would look super hot in this."

"Damn, right, girl. Now get dressed and put the rest of your makeup on. We need to leave in less than an hour."

I hurriedly picked an outfit – a pink mini skirt, paired with a see through, long sleeve, black top and a lacey black bralette, with a pair of black thigh high boots.

We both finish getting ready and head out the door. I drive us to the party and find a parking spot down the street from the house.

Everyone agreed that it would just be easier to meet up inside, so Alice and I make our way to the house. The party is already in full swing when we get inside. I grab Alice's hand and take her to the kitchen where the drinks are. I grab her a plastic cup and fill it with the spiked punch that's sitting on the counter top. As I hand it to her, I make sure she knows the rules of drinking at a party. "Drink this and only this. Do not go by yourself anywhere. Stay with one of us from the group at all times. If you lose us, call until someone answers. Don't set your drink down until you are done with it. Don't accept any drinks from anyone expect those you trust. Don't drink more than a few cups, Alice, especially since this is your first party. We don't know how much of a light weight you are. Do you understand?"

She nods her head at me, eyes wide. "Wow, I didn't think parties were this strict."

I smile softly at her. "They're not. This is your best friend talking to you."

Alice takes a small sip of her drink. "Are you sure you don't want to get wasted with me?"

I smile sadly at her. If only you knew… "I'm sure, Alice. I'm serious, though, you need to be care–"

I don't get a chance to finish because Alice squeals which can only mean one thing. Jasper is here.

She grabs my hand and runs over to him. "Jasper! Come dance with me! I want to dance!"

He chuckles and looks at me. "How many drinks has she had so far?"

"She's barely taken a sip of her first one."

His eyes widen. "Oh."

I giggle. "Yeah, have fun with her all night." I try to walk away, but someone catches me by the elbow.

"Bella! You can't leave! You're the one who said we have to stay with someone all night!"

"I only meant that for you, Alice. I'm not drunk, therefore I am completely fine by myself."

"Nope! We're going dancing! Come on! A bunch of people are over there. I wanna go!" she wines out.

I groan and look to Jasper for help. He merely shrugs his head in acceptance of his fate.

What have I gotten myself into giving alcohol to this girl?

Moments after Alice, Jasper and I hit the self-made dance floor, I feel someone's hands on my hips. I tense for a second before I hear his voice in my ear.

"You came."

Maybe this whole dancing thing wasn't such a bad idea after all.

I smile and turn around to face him. I wrap my hands around his neck and continue to dance to the beat. "Hi," I can't help the shyness in my voice.

Edward's hands move around to cup my ass. "Hi."

I turn back around so I'm back to grinding against him

No more words are passed between us – none are needed. I don't know what it is about Edward, but there's something about me that brings me at ease with everything.

This can be a very bad thing.

But right now, I don't want to think about anything else except for the fact that Edward's hands are on my body and his lips are at my neck, nipping and biting it lightly. It's the feeling of pure contentment.

The feeling didn't last long.

A nasally voice comes up from behind Edward and me. "Eddie! What are you doing dancing with her? You're mine, remember?"

"You have got to be kidding me," Edward groans out. He turns around to face Tanya but doesn't let go of me.

"Tanya, how many times am I going to have to say this before you finally get it? You and I were never a thing? I fucked you, twice, over the summer. Get over it. I'm done with you. Now, leave me and Bella the hell alone."

Poor girl just doesn't get the hint and decides to make a fool of herself.

"Why are you even here with this slut? She can never do the things I could do to you, Eddie."

I laugh at her desperateness and decide to take matters into my own hands. Before Edward gets the chance to reply, I step up. In a sickly-sweet voice, I say, "Tanya, is it? Sweetie, I'm going to let you in on a little secret." I look dead into her eyes as I palm Edward's junk from the front of his jeans and says, "You see this, Tanya? This is mine now. Get over it and leave us alone." The collective gasps and chuckles from around us is enough to tell me that the entire party just saw our interaction.

I grin in satisfaction as Tanya walks away, pissed. When I go to let go of Edward, he grabs and pulls me completely against him, "What are you –"

"You created a little problem, princess. So, now you have to help me get rid of it." Edward wiggles his eyebrows suggestively at me.

I laugh. "You're such a pig, Edward."

He leans in close and whispers in my ear, "Maybe so, but apparently I'm your pig," and then proceeds to kiss my cheek affectionately. I blush and start to walk back to chest with him until we get away from the life of the party.

We head down to the basement of the house, which is almost completely vacant. "Sorry about that up there," Edward apologizes.

I smile and wave him off. "Don't be. If anyone should be apologizing, it's me. I basically assaulted you up there." I arch my eyebrow at him. "Not that you seemed to mind all that much."

Edward laughs with me. "Not at all, princess."

I blush at his nickname for me. It's starting to grow on me.

"I wish she would just take a hint already. I screwed her like twice over the summer and now she thinks that she owns me! I was horny and bored and look where it got me," Edward says, clearly exasperated as he flops down on the sofa.

I take the seat next to him.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I think I kind of just claimed you as mine up there." I can't help the blush that creeps up my face.

Edward smiles seductively at me. "Hmm, I think you did."

He leans in to kiss me, eyes locked with mine. When he gets close enough that I can feel his breath on my lips, the door to the basement opens and we're interrupted by a very drunk Alice with a very sober Jasper in tow.

"Bella! Edward! Oh, how I've missed you so! Why didn't you tell me alcohol was this much fun?"

Edward and I look at each other with the same expression on our faces before we erupt in laughter. "How many drinks has she had, Jasper?" Edward asks.

"I don't think she's finished her second one, but she's completely wasted."

Edward stands up. "I guess that's our cue to go home, huh, squirt?"

"No! I want to stay and party some more!" She whines.

"I really don't think that's the best idea, darlin'," Jasper says soothingly.

"Come on, Alice. Let's go home," Edward says, looking back to me with an apologetic smile on his face.

Jasper notices our exchange and speaks up, "I can take her home, Edward. We really didn't mean to interrupt what was going on down here. I just wanted you to know how she was fairing."

"Alice? Are you okay with Jasper taking you home?"

She nods excitingly, as if her entire world was just made with that one statement.

"Take care of my baby sister, Jasper." The way he says it makes me think he means it in more than just a 'get her home safely' kind of deal. Is this his way of letting Jasper and Alice have his blessing?

When they leave, Edward turns to me and says, "You know, I don't think I've ever seen Alice this happy."

I smile softly at him. "That's what happens when two people fall in love." Edward visibly pales at my words.

"Love? They're in love?" He barely chokes out.

"Well, I'm pretty sure Alice has been in love with him since she first laid eyes on him and Jasper has been in love with her since that first day at lunch and, but I don't think either one of them has said it yet. But, yeah love."

Edward throws his head back in disbelief. "Who knew my little sister would fall in love before I would?"

"Things happen when they're meant to happen. Sometimes you don't have any control of it."

"Yeah, I get that." He starts to look at me weird and then I change the subject quickly.

For the next two hours, Edward and I talk about everything from our favorite sports teams to politics to animals to life goals. Who knew that boy could have an actual conversation that didn't involve perverted jokes?

It has been single handedly one of the best nights of my life. Edward didn't try to hit on me. He didn't try to do anything with me. We honestly just sat and talked for hours. The fact that everything flowed so well together without any awkwardness blows my mind. I never thought I'd be able to have this kind of relationship with someone. The kind of relationship where I can be myself, not the fake persona that I've had to create again and again. It feels like someone is finally meeting the real me.

I can't tell you how much this thrills me.

Or how much it terrifies me.

When the clock said it was after one o'clock, Edward and I decide that we should be getting home. He walks me to my car and pauses when I go to unlock it.

"Thank you for tonight," I say.

"I think I should be the one thanking you."

I raise my eyebrows at him. "For what?"

I don't have a chance to react before he lightly presses his lips against mine. I don't even get the chance to deepen the kiss before he pulls away.

"For that. Goodnight Miss Swan." And with that, he walks away, and I'm left grinning like an idiot in the freezing cold.

 **A/N: Thoughts? How did you think Bella handled Tanya? Why do you think Bella doesn't drink? What about Alice's and Edward's newly forming relationship? Not to mention, what did you guys think about their first kiss?** **Let me know in a review! See you next week.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Thank all of those who reviewed/favorited/followed! I hope everyone enjoys this chapter! All mistakes are mine. See you at the bottom!**

 **I am so sorry for the delay in posting. Real life has been killing me lately. From now on, posts might be (hopefully not for the rest of the book) a little crazy. I don't know if I'll be able to update every Monday. It might be every other Monday, or it could be just whenever I finish a chapter I'll put it up. Sorry!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

 **"** **Oh, I'm in pieces it's tearing me up, but I know a heart that's broke is a heart that's been loved so I'll sing Hallelujah. You were an angel in the shape of my mom. When I fell down, you'd be there holding me up, spread your wings as you go and when God takes you back he'll say Hallelujah, you're home." – Ed Sheeran – "Supermarket Flowers"**

 **Chapter 9**

 **BPOV**

 **November 2015**

The final day of school before Thanksgiving break has everyone on edge. Excitement is in the air about having a week off of school is all anyone can talk about.

Until today. Now, everyone is talking about the new girl.

Finally, I can gladly say that nickname doesn't belong to me anymore. Someone named Victoria Blaze has taken it, not that I mind.

I leave first period with Alice by my side and head to second period. I get about halfway there before a crowd begins to form.

"… have family all over the United States. California, Florida, New York." My feet stop dead in my tracks as the new girl and I make eye contact. She stops talking and just stares at me, her expression mostly indifferent, but there's some emotion that I can't quite place in her eyes. There's something eerily familiar about her, especially her icy blue, penetrating eyes. Whatever it is, it's freaking me out. I push my way through the crowd and the new girl continues talking, enamoring the crowd around her.

The next few classes go by quickly and I find myself sitting beside Edward at lunch. My leg is bouncing up and down impatiently as I wait for the new girl to make her appearance. There is just something about her that I need to figure out.

I don't have to wait long before she walks in, Tanya by her side. I resist the urge to roll my eyes. Tanya catches my stare and glares back at me.

I guess someone still isn't happy about the show I put on during a couple weeks ago. Not that Edward is mine now, but still. Edward hasn't mentioned the kiss on Halloween night and neither have I. We talk more than we did before, and he sits by me at lunch, but other than that, our relationship hasn't really changed.

It's not until I feel Edward's hand begin to rub up and down my thigh that I realize he's been trying to get my attention.

"I'm sorry. What'd you say, Edward?" I finally break eye contact with Tanya to meet his.

"Why are you staring at Tanya and the new girl?"

"No reason."

"Don't lie to me, Bella." The look in his eyes is so intense, I give in.

I sigh, "I just feel like I know her from somewhere, that's it."

"Know her from where?"

"I don't know and that's what's bothering me. There's just something about her that makes my skin crawl. I just don't know what." Over the past few years, I've learned to trust my instincts when it comes to people, and my instincts are definitely telling me that there is something off about this chick. I just need to find out what.

"Whatever you feel, Bella, just tell me. You know I'm here." His words are so simple, yet so deep. I don't know what to say back, so I smile softly and nod.

I try to pay attention to whatever story Alice is telling everyone at lunch, but my eyes keep going back to Tanya and the new girl. At one point, Victoria catches my stare and smiles a very sickly-sweet smile at me, like she knows something I don't.

Yeah, definitely something off about her.

The bell rings and we all go our separate ways with promises to meet up after school. Throughout the rest of my classes, I think about Victoria. I know her from somewhere, but where?

When I walk into gym, I groan when I see that Coach Clapp has weights out. Weight training is like my worst enemy. I am a small girl who thrives on running and self-defense, not how much weight I can squat!

I walk over to Emmett and Jasper and voice my disapproval of today's activity.

"Oh, come on, Bella. It won't be that bad," Jasper says, trying to cheer me up.

I glare at him, not liking his sympathetic tone one bit. "Says the guy who does this kind of crap all the time! I'm a runner, not a heavy lifter!"

"You're going to be fine, Bella. We all know you're a weakling and can't do any weight." Emmett taunts.

Well, you sure know how to piss a girl off, don't you? Just for that, I'm going to prove that I can squat more than he thinks I can. In the meantime, I cross my arms in annoyance as I wait on them.

When it's my turn to squat, I let Emmett and Jasper pick how much weight I should do. They know more about this stuff than I ever will. They size me up and down – well, more like staring at my lack of muscle, really – with their eyes before agreeing on starting me off with just squatting the bar. I roll my eyes at them and quickly do my reps.

"I'm not a china doll, you guys. I can do more weight than just the bar," I say, kind of irritated at their lack of faith in me.

"Oh, really, Bella? You think you can do more?"

I glare at Emmett's teasing smile. "I can do a lot more than you think."

"Well, all right then. Jas, put on a twenty-five weight on your side and I'll put one on mine and we'll see how she does," he says as if I'm not even here.

I roll my eyes. "Only ninety-five pounds, Em?"

"Just do it, Bells."

I cringe inwardly at the name Bells. I don't want to think about what happened to the last person who called me that.

Shaking off my thoughts, I step up to the bar, get in position, and squat my reps effortlessly. "That the best you got, guys?" I ask once I've finished without even breaking a sweat.

"Not even close, sweetheart." Emmett looks to Jasper. "Bring her up to one hundred and thirty-five." He looks back to me. "You weigh about that much right?"

I narrow my eyes at him. "Didn't your mother ever teach you not to ask a lady about her weight?"

Emmett actually has the audacity to look bashful right now.

I giggle at his expression. "I'm just kidding, Em. It's a little more than what I weigh, but I can do it." Once again, I step up to the bar and squat the weight. This time is a little harder than the last, but still nothing I can't handle.

I smirk at their faces when I finish my reps. "Next?"

"Put her at one hundred and sixty, Jasper." They quickly set the weights and I step up to the bar. As soon as I lift the it off the rack and feel the full weight of it on my shoulders, I know it's too much. But me, being the stubborn person that I am, don't want them to think I'm a "weakling" as they so eloquently put it and begin to squat it anyway. I get all the way down to the bottom and try to come back up when I my legs buckle from under me and I fall to the ground, landing flat on my ass.

I brace for the weight to come crashing on top of me, but it never comes. I look up to see Emmett holding the weight effortlessly above me. I roll out from under the weight and Emmett, rubbing my now sore rear end.

I chance a glance at Emmett and Jasper and instantly regret it. As soon as I make eye contact with them, they burst out in laughter. It's so loud, the entire gym class turns and stares at us in confusion.

I huff and roll my eyes as I walk over to them. "Shut up! I don't want the whole world knowing about this!" I playfully hit them both on the shoulders to get them to shut up, but it doesn't work.

I guess this is what I get for trying to prove a point.

They continue laughing for the remainder of class. "Seriously guys, can you please just let it go?" I whine.

"No way, Bella! This is pure gold! I only wish we'd gotten it on video!"

I glare at Jasper, but that only spurs them more. I groan in embarrassment when I realize that they really aren't going to stop laughing. I do my best to ignore them the rest of the period, but they keep talking about it.

Jasper, Emmett, and I meet up with everyone in the parking lot after the final bell rings. I immediately head to my car to get some Aspirin for the pain in my ass, literally. I glare at Emmett and Jasper, daring them to say a word to anyone about class. Their sheepish grins don't give me much confidence in them.

Once the parking lot clears out, we begin to make our plans for the night. Everyone agrees to go ahead to the diner, like usual, after school. It's like everything has fallen into a routine. When we walk in together and find a booth, no one hesitates in how we sit. Emmett, Rosalie – I finally found out her name – and Jasper on one side and Edward, myself, and Alice on the other. Conversation flows naturally, and everyone just seems so happy, myself included.

"So, Bella, anything interesting happen in gym class today?" Edward asked innocently.

I feel my entire face flame. I glare at Emmett and Jasper, "I thought what happens in gym class stays in gym class!"

They don't bother responding, instead they bust out in laughter along with the rest of the table.

"Traitors," I say to no one in particular as I cross my arms and stick my tongue out like a petulant child.

"I thought the story was cute," Edward whispers as he lightly kisses my cheek.

"Mhm, yeah right." I turn to the rest of the table and say, "We are never speaking about that ever again, got it?"

Laughter erupts again across the table and I find myself smiling along with them. It's impossible not to. It's almost as if my life is perfect, but I know better than to think that.

Conversation continues to flow after that. I end up talking to Alice about going to Port Angeles for Black Friday shopping.

"I know it's small and you've probably been to better places back when you lived near Atlanta, but it's the closest places we have unless you want to go all the way to Seattle, which is like a four hour drive and I really don't think my parents would be –"

"Alice!" I can't help but interrupt her worry rant. "I would love to go to Port Angeles with you to shop on Friday. I mean who else am I supposed to go with besides my best friend?" The smile on my face comes naturally now when I say it. I no longer cringe at the mention of a best friend.

Alice's face lights up at my words. "I'm your best friend?"

I laugh lightly at her expression. "Who else would I be talking about? You were the first one to be my friend here, even when I wasn't looking for them. Of course, you're my best friend."

Alice's smile grows impossibly bigger and lights up the entire room. Everyone at the table to turn and look at us. I feel a hand lightly squeeze my thigh. I don't have to look to know it's Edward. I place my hand on top of his and squeeze in acknowledgement.

The waiter takes this moment to bring us our food. Once everyone has their food, we dive in. Everyone is too busy eating to make conversation anymore, but the silence between us is comfortable.

When the time came to pay, Emmett paid for everything. When we all protested he responded with, "You guys are the best people I could ever ask for in friends. I'm so incredibly thankful to all of you, so tonight is my treat."

A chorus of "awe's," "thank you's," and "I love you, Emmett's" fill the room.

I never thought Emmett to be the sappy one of the group. My bet was always on Jasper.

We all make our way outside to our cars. I say goodbye to everyone, except Edward, who walks me to my car. I lean against the side and turn to face him. It's gotten chilly out, so I sneak my hands inside Edward's leather jacket and pull him closer to me.

For a moment, I think he's going to pull back. It takes a couple of moments, but he finally leans in and wraps his arms around my waist to pull me impossibly closer to him.

"You just made her entire life, you know," he whispers in my hair.

"What do you mean?"

"Alice. Telling her that she's your best friend too. You made her entire life complete in that moment."

"What makes you say that? It's just a label."

"Not for her it isn't. Alice has always been kind of a social outcast, so friends haven't really come easy to her. She –"

I pull back and give him a pointed look. "You have a lot to do with that, you know."

He rolls his eyes but doesn't disagree with me either. "My point is, you're her first real best friend. That's not something she takes lightly."

"I know. She really is an amazing person."

"She's the best." Edward sighs into my hair. "It's getting late. You should get home."

I nod my head, but don't make any move to leave.

With a small kiss to my forehead, Edward leaves me to my car.

When I leave everyone at the diner on that night, I can't help but feel whole. It's like everything in my life is perfect. I have great friends. I have someone I can call a best friend. I have Edward… whatever we are. I don't feel like I have to constantly look over my shoulder for James anymore. Something has changed around me. I feel complete which is something I don't think I've ever been able to say in my entire life. I feel safe somehow.

The feeling doesn't last long.

When Thanksgiving comes around the next day, I'm completely by myself. Edward and Alice are with their family. Emmett and his girlfriend are with their respective families. Jasper is with his family. I'm just the only one who doesn't seem to have one anymore. Mom left a note saying that she took an extra shift at work so one of her coworkers could spend Thanksgiving with their family. What about your family, Mom?

I shake my head and try to clear my thoughts. I go over to the refrigerator and pull out my leftovers from the diner last night. I put it in the microwave to warm it up then make my way to the kitchen table. I can't help the sadness that creeps into my voice as I whisper to myself, "Happy Thanksgiving, Marie."

I slowly eat my food and then turn the TV on in the living room to drown out the silence. I don't pay much attention to what they say on the news until I hear a familiar name. "… James Hunter is behind all of the attacks as far as we can tell. None of the girls have been seriously injured but have all been placed in protective services by their local law enforcement." My entire body freezes and my blood runs cold when I see the pictures of the girls James has been putting in the hospital these past few weeks.

They all look exactly like me.

Long brown hair, brown eyes, medium height, and all seem to be around my age.

Okay, when I think of it like that, this could all be a coincidence. I look like the most average teenage girl in the world right now. But, they said it was _James Hunter_ behind their attacks. That's definitely not a coincidence.

The reporter goes on about how the girls were stalked in their towns before James finally made a move. From what I can tell, when he finally got them, he realized that they weren't me and got angry. At least that's what I'm assuming. "With every victim from James Hunter comes another warning. Everyone of these girls has been found with notes from their attacker." The news anchor goes on to show pictures of the girls.

They're all extremely pale and clearly been through some trauma. Bruises cover their bodies and blood stains their clothes, their skin, and their hair. The notes the anchor was talking about are all attached to the girls' shirts.

 _I'll always find you._

 _You can't hide forever._

 _I'll make you pay for this, bitch._

Suddenly, it's like my lungs stopped working and I can't breathe.

These girls and their families have been permanently scarred because of James… because of me.

He's never done this before. He's never been this desperate to find me before. Just thought of how many people are suffering because of what he did to find me makes me sick. How can someone be so cruel?

Then unexpectedly, another thought occurred to me. What if James were to find me right now? What would he do if he saw me hanging out with tiny, little, defenseless Alice? Or with Jasper and Emmett at school? Or… Edward?

I shudder at the thought of what he could do to these people I've started to consider my family.

Abruptly, the thought of staying in this town and risking all the lives of the people I've come to love here over come me. The intensity of it hits me like a freight train and I almost fall over at the rush of emotions.

I can't do this anymore.

I run up the stairs with tears threatening to fall and I pull out the file that I keep everything in out from under my bed. I now feel tears streaming down my face as pull out everything. The first one I pick up, the most recent one, is my fake ID for Makayla Bell. I stare at the ID to remind me what James is capable of doing. From the end of May 2014 to August of 2015, I had short red hair and lived in Phoenix, Arizona before he found me. Everything was fine for over a year until he showed up at prom and everything went to hell. My best friend got stabbed, nearly to death, because of me.

Before I was Makayla, I was Kenna Marshall. I had long blonde hair and lived in Jacksonville, Florida. From the middle of September of my sophomore year in high school, to the end of sophomore year, I thought I would be safe. I had completely moved across the country to get away from him this time. Mom and I had picked up everything and left, but it was for nothing. It took James eight months to find me. He just didn't want to give me up; he couldn't take the hint. When he managed to find me, the incidents only seemed coincidental. Mom forgetting to lock the door after we left for the day, things not being in their correct places, things we didn't want to believe were because of James.

The day he threw a rock at my car, through the windshield, with a death threat attached to it, was the day that I realized I was in big trouble. I had moved across the United States to get away from him for goodness sakes!

Looking back, I should have realized the signs quicker. Maybe he wouldn't have gotten so close the night of the party. Despite our current situation, Mom insisted that I go to this stupid high school end of the year party at someone's house that year. I showed up, had a few drinks, and then a couple hours, James appeared out of the shadows.

It was probably the single handedly most terrifying thing I've gone through to this day. I thought I was just seeing things at first, but the moment he slapped my cheek in anger for "leaving him" as he put it, I knew that he'd followed me all the way from New York.

Thankfully, he wasn't able to do much more harm there. I hadn't made that many new friends in Jacksonville, so he had no one else to terrorize but me. Also, the cops just happened to have been called by one of the neighbors when we got too loud. James ran off the moment he heard the sirens, leaving me with a bloody cheek and a broken mind to return to Mom back home. When I told her what had happened, she called Agent Newton of the FBI who had been assigned to my case to help us relocate under new identities when needed and told him that James had found me.

We left for Phoenix that night.

This brings me to the few papers and pictures I have of my real name, my real home, my real life. I look at my birth certificate. Marie Isabella Dwyer. That's my name, or at least it used to be. I look at the picture of Mom, Charlie, and I from my eighth-grade graduation in New York. I feel more tears streaming down my face. Poor Charlie. I will never forgive myself for what happened to him because of me and I will spend everyday for the rest of my life trying to make it up to him.

That's why, when Agent Newton told me I could chose my new name this time around, I chose Bella Swan. Bella because it's close to Isabella, but James wouldn't know that and Swan because that's Mom's maiden name… Charlie's last name… or at least it was. I press my palms against my temples in frustration. I just want everything to go back to the way it was before I met James. I want to go back to being the girl who used to live in New York City, New York… of the girl who used to not be afraid of her own shadow… of the girl who had dozens and dozens of friends, of the girl I used to be.

My heart breaks even more when I realize that the little girl doesn't exist anymore.

 **A/N: What did you guys think?**

 **Did that clear some (not all) things up for Bella's past? What about James' involvement becoming closer? Where's Renee been this entire time?**

 **Let me know in a review! I'll do my best to post next week.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Thank all of those who reviewed/favorited/followed! I hope everyone enjoys this chapter! All mistakes are mine. See you at the bottom!**

 **I am so sorry it took me so long to post this. Hopefully, updates will come sooner than once a month now, but I make no promises.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

 **"** **But if I'd only known how the king would fall, hey who's to say? You know I might have changed it all and now I'm glad I didn't know the way it all would end, the way it all would go. Our lives are better left to chance, I could've missed the pain, but I'd of had to miss the dance." – Garth Brooks – "The Dance"**

 **Chapter 10**

 **BPOV**

 **December 2015**

When school starts back the next week, I do my best to distance myself from everyone. I give Alice vague answers during first period. I didn't talk to anyone at lunch. I don't acknowledge Edward when he tries talking to me. I even ignore Emmett and Jasper during gym.

Whenever anyone tries talking to me, I completely brush them off or give them ambiguous, curt answers.

This goes on for weeks.

At some point, everyone comes up and tries talking with me. I tell them nothing is wrong and then I go back to whatever I'm doing. Sometimes, they try to push me further, but for the most part they accept my answer.

The look on their faces when I see them pains me just as much as I know me blocking them out is hurting them.

They just don't understand.

I'm doing this for them.

They'll thank me for it one day.

They just don't know it yet.

When I get out of school for the day, I all but run to my car, eager to be done with avoiding everyone. To my dismay, Edward is leaning up against my car, staring off in the distance as he waits for me.

I stop dead in my tracks as he turns toward me, and our eyes meet. So much confusion and hurt is in them, I can't bear to look in them for longer than a few seconds.

I continue walking towards my car, trying to ignore his piercing gaze.

I try to side step Edward to get to my door, but he blocks me. "You know, it's rude to purposely be in someone's way."

"You really want to talk about who's being rude?"

I huff and roll my eyes. I try once again to get past him, but he wraps his arms arm my hips and presses me into my own car. "I'm not being rude, but trust me, everything is for the best."

"Best for who? Because it's definitely not the best for you or the best for Alice or the best for anyone else."

I flinch at the mention of Alice. Every time she talks to me and I ignore her, I can see the wounded expression on her face. It kills me knowing that I'm the one who put it there.

 _Ignoring them is for the best. No one needs to get hurt in this town because of me._

"I don't want to talk about it."

"And I'm not asking you to. I just want you to rejoin the land of the living, Bella. You've been like a zombie since Thanksgiving."

I don't look up at him. I know he's right. He knows he's right. There's no point in denying that.

"Come to the Christmas party tonight."

With a sudden burst of courage that I didn't know I had, I make eye contact with Edward. His eyes are full of concern and optimism and another emotion that I can't quite place. "I can't, Edward."

"Why not? And don't give me some bull shit answer about you have something better to do because we both know that's not true."

I think about it for a moment, but when I realize he's not going to take no for an answer, I bow my head and whisper, "Alright."

"Good. I'll pick you up at five."

My head jerks back up. "I can drive myself, Edward."

"I know you can. I just want to do it. That way, I get to spend more time with you."

I huff, but I can feel my cheeks burn in embarrassment at his words. "But I –"

"No, buts, Bella. No excuses. You're coming. Don't forget to get a gag gift for Emmett."

I narrow my eyes in confusion. "Just Emmett?"

He rolls his eyes at me. "I told you you've been a zombie for the past few weeks. Yes, just Emmett. We all drew names for our Secret Santa and since you weren't paying any attention I drew for you. You have Emmett."

"Oh." Was my only response.

"Nothing over twenty dollars and make sure it's a gag gift. I'll see you in an hour, Bella. Dress warm, it's supposed to snow tonight."

I smile softly at his thoughtfulness. I nod my head and with a swift kiss to the top of my head, Edward walks to his own car.

Now that I'm finally able to get into my car, I crank up the heat and head to the only grocery store in this town to search for a present for Emmett. When I get there, I walk down up every aisle, but nothing stands out to me.

I don't know if it's because I'm not in the holiday mood or if it's because I've been trying to ignore everyone for the past few weeks, but I just can't think of anything creative or funny to get him.

As soon as I am about to give up and just get him a pack of Twizzlers, a small container catches my eye. I quickly grab it and head for the checkout counter. I pay for it and make it back to my car.

I get home with fifteen minutes to spare, so I quickly wrap Emmett's gift and change my clothes into something a little warmer. I put on my UGG boots and my North Face thermoball hooded jacket and head downstairs.

When I hear Edward pull into my driveway, I take a second to think this through. I've been ignoring everyone for weeks. Is it really such a good idea to go to a Christmas party with them? I'm supposed to be creating distance between them and me in case James shows up, not creating memories and tighter bonds with them. Can I really go tonight and ignore everyone?

A small part of my brain says, _everyone needs a family around the holidays and since mine has been completely AWOL for the past few weeks, they're all I've got_.

But is it worth it?

I don't get the chance to answer my own question because Edward begins to bang on my front door. "I know you're in there, Bella. Come on, we're going to be late to Emmett's house!"

I pause for a moment and really think about everything. Can I go tonight and still distance myself from them?

"Let's go, Bella! It's freezing out here!" I can't help but giggle at his impatience.

I forgo all the thoughts about avoiding everyone and head to the door to meet Edward.

Everyone deserves a family. This just so happens to be mine, I conclude.

I walk by him quickly and head for his car that he left running. "Come on! It's cold out here!" I say with a shy smile.

"Why you little…"

"Come on!"

He rolls his eyes at me as he walks to the car. Once we both get in, silence takes over. I'm still not sure how tonight is going to go. I'm also not completely convinced that I should be going, but here I am.

Edward doesn't try to make conversation with me on the way over there, but the silence between us isn't tense or awkward. It's… comfortable.

Part of me wishes that it wasn't.

When we pull up to Emmett's house, we both silently walk in. Everyone stops what they're doing when they see me beside Edward.

"Bella!"

"You came!"

"I'm so happy you got her to come!"

"Can we eat now?"

We all turn to stare at Emmett incredulously.

"Really Emmett?" Jasper asks.

"What? I'm a big guy. I need to eat regularly."

Rosalie lifts an eyebrow at him. "You ate an hour ago, Em."

"Exactly. It's been an hour!"

We all roll our eyes and laugh at the fact that he's being completely serious. Rosalie playfully slaps the back of his head at his nonsense which makes us all laugh even harder.

Everyone walks into the kitchen and makes themselves a plate out of the finger foods set out. Conversation flows easily and for the first time in weeks, I pay attention to it. I'd forgotten how funny and amazing these people are.

My people.

Alice sits next to me at the table and at some point during the dinner, she gets up the courage to get my attention. "Hi Bella," she says in the smallest, quietest voice I've ever heard.

I can't help the guilt I feel from the shyness in her voice.

"Hi Alice."

"How have you been?" She can't even look me in the eye. She's literally just staring at the ground with her body angled toward me.

I did that to her.

The pang of guilt hits me even harder. I can tell that it's killing her to make small talk with me. She's never had to make small talk with me, even when she didn't know me. So, instead of letting this pain and guilt fest drag on any longer, I just bite the bullet. I ignore the feeling in my gut about getting close to these remarkable people and I decide right then and there that I'm done ignoring them, consequences be damned.

"I'm sorry for ignoring you these past few weeks, Alice. I've just had so much going on and I just couldn't bear the thought of dragging any of you into it. I never meant to hurt you or make you think that you're not my best friend. I've missed talking to you and hanging out with you and I've just missed _you,_ Alice. I'm sorry that I've been such an awful friend lately. I'm just… I'm sorry. Can you forgive me?"

About half way through my speech, somewhere in the back of my mind, I register that everyone had stopped talking around us. I'd like to think that they were just curious to know what we were talking about, but I know it's because that's the most I've said since Thanksgiving.

"Well?"

"Well what, Jasper?" Emmett asks.

"Well, do you forgive her, Alice?"

Alice finally looks up at me. It takes all of half a second for her to launch herself at me. "There's nothing to forgive. You're my best friend. I'm just sorry I couldn't be there for you."

Okay, I seriously don't deserve this girl.

"This is better than my soap operas." All of ours shoot to Emmett's as he pretends to wipe a tear from his eye.

No one can even make a comment towards that. Instead, laughter erupts through us.

When it dies down and Alice gets off of me, I turn to the rest of the group. "That goes to all of you too. I'm sorry for being such a crappy friend lately."

Everyone smiles and waves me off. Conversation picks back up again, the entire theatrical performance from moments ago completely forgotten about. The only difference is now Alice and I are catching up and Edward's hand has found it's way to it's favorite spot: my thigh. No one else seems to notice it and since it causes the butterflies in my stomach to flutter, I let him keep it there.

Eventually, Rosalie gets down to the nitty gritty. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm dying to know what everyone got from their Secret Santa this year."

A couple of whoos come from around the table. We all move from the kithcen table to the living room where the presents and Christmas tree are located. Jasper puts on a red and white Santa Clause hat and picks up a present from under the tree.

"Alright, since I lost the coin toss and had to get two people presents this year, I've also appointed myself as Santa too." He turns to Rosalie. "You're up first, Rose."

Rosalie quickly starts ripping off the wrapping paper and when she catches sight of her gift, she immediately bursts out in laughter. Jasper turns to Emmett and says, "You're welcome, bro."

Emmett eyes him suspiciously. "What are you talking about?"

"What'd he get you, Rose?" Alice asks.

In between fits of laughter, she holds up a pink pair of underwear. At first glance, they look weird and uncomfortable, but then it clicks in my head.

Edible underwear.

Jasper got Rosalie a pair of edible underwear.

I swear everyone got it at the same time and began laughing. That is, everyone except for Alice. "I don't get it. Why are you all laughing?"

This just makes us all laugh harder.

"Babe, their edible underwear," Jasper explains slowly.

"Why would you want to eat her under– oh." Her face goes pale white for a moment until it turns into a cherry from embarrassment.

Laughter ensues and Jasper grabs another, slightly bigger package from under the tree and tosses it to Edward. "From me, too," he explains.

Edward opens his package and starts to laugh. I peek over at his gift and laugh with him. Edward wordlessly lifts up the t-shirt that says, "I'm not gay, but twenty dollars is twenty dollars."

Everyone starts to laugh with us, even Alice. "Okay, yeah, I got that one on the first try," she defends.

"Definitely not true, but thanks Jasper. It's hilarious."

"Yeah, thanks Jasper. Emmett and I will definitely be using these soon."

Jasper's face goes completely serious for a moment. "You two better wait until we are all at least ten miles from this place before you start."

Rosalie wriggles her eyebrows at him but promises nothing.

Jasper reaches under the tree and pulls out the small package that I wrapped. "To Emmett from Bella." Jasper tosses the gift to Em, who immediately rips it open.

When he gets to it, he looks right at me and pouts. "I have no idea what you mean by these, Bella."

It takes everyone a second before they begin to chuckle along with me. "It's a present for the rest of us from you, Em!"

He pouts again. "What's that supposed to mean? I don't fart that much!" He holds up the bottle of Tums that I got him.

Everyone jumps in to disagree with him. "Yes, you do!"

His eyes go wide. "Okay, okay. Geez. I didn't know having indigestion was a crime."

"Oh, honey. You and I both know that your farts absolutely wreak." Rosalie tries to soothe as she rubs her hand up and down his stomach.

"You know what, just for this, I'm going to go get some more of that chili from the kitchen."

"NO!" We all screech at once.

"Okay, okay. The people have spoken. What's the next present, Jasper?"

He reaches under the tree and pulls out a small package. "To Jasper from Emmett. This should be good." He begins to carefully tear open the package and immediately face palms himself. "Really, Em?"

"What is it?" I ask, not able to see anything past the wrapping.

"I, uh, heard from a little birdy that you've been having some problems in that area." Emmett's grin widens as Jasper holds up the box of Viagra to show everyone.

Alice's face flushes when she sees it and yells, "Nothing is wrong with it! We're just taking things slow!"

I laughed so hard I think I peed myself a little bit.

"Alright, alright. Next present is to Alice from Edward."

Alice rips open the oddly shaped package and then turns to glare at her brother.

Edward looks at her innocently. "What?"

"Rude," was her only response as she holds up the roll of duct tape.

"I just thought it'd be nice for us to use to get you to shut up every once in a while." To show that he's just kidding with her, Edward goes over to her and pecks her cheek. "You know I love you, sis."

"Yeah, right." She rolls her eyes playfully. "Do mine next, Jas."

He complies and begins to look for the present from Alice. "Alright, this is to Bella from Alice."

Jasper tosses me the gift and I tear into it. My face turns into a tomato as soon as I read what it says. I hold up the pair of underwear to show everyone.

"This is why I squat." Emmett reads slowly until he gets it. "Alice, you are a genius!"

"I thought we all agreed that we were never going to talk about that ever again!" I try to sound serious, but giggles take over instead.

"We never said that we'd forget, that was all you, Bella. That was complete gold right there. Movie moment kind of stuff." I can't help but glare at Jasper.

"You guys suck," I whine.

"You love us," Alice says in a sing-song voice.

I can't help the smile on my face. "Yes, I do." I really do.

"Enough of the sappy stuff. Last present. To Edward from Rosalie."

When Edward gets the package, he eyes Rose warily. "Should I be afraid of opening it?"

"Oh, stop being a wimp and just open it, Eddie!"

Edward glares at her at the use of the nickname, but eventually begins to open the present.

Butt aid.

Rosalie got Edward butt aid.

I laughed so hard that I actually ended up falling off of the couch and onto the floor.

"I just thought you should be aware, Bella," Rosalie says as she makes eye contact with me.

I can't help but blush, not at her words, but at the implications behind them. Like she knows that I am about to see Edward's butt sometime soon. I chance a glance at Edward to find him staring at me, smiling and shaking his head. He mouths the words, 'she's lying,' to me.

I smile and let out another fit of giggles.

Everyone continues to joke and talk about their Christmas plans for the rest of the night. As soon as Alice and Jasper get up to leave, Edward grabs me by the arm and tugs me back to the kitchen where no one else is.

"What's wrong?"

Edward gives me his signature smirk. "Does there have to be something wrong for me to want to talk to you?"

I narrow my eyes at him. "No, but you did just take us away from the life of the party over there." I slowly start to move back towards the living room where everyone else is at.

"Wait!"

I turn around and raise my eyebrows at him. "Yes?"

He runs his hand through his hair, lightly gripping at the ends. Is he… nervous?

I step closer to him, suddenly wanting to ease whatever is on his mind. "What's wrong, Edward?"

"Nothing is wrong… I just didn't want everyone to be around when I gave you this." He pulls out a small box from his pocket and starts to open it.

Now, it's my turn to be nervous. Why is he giving me a separate gift? What did he get me? What does this even mean?

"I know it's small, but I just thought –"

I cut him off when I place my hand over his hand and the box. "Show me."

The look on his face can only be described in one word… bashful, utterly bashful. It's so precious.

He slowly pulls out a silver necklace with a small initial of the letter E on it. My eyes go wide as I take in what it means. I quickly look up to him. His eyes are trained on me, gauging my reaction.

I can't help the smile on my face as I ask, "E as in Edward?"

He bites his lip, "Too much?"

My smile grows bigger. "No, not at all. It's perfect. Thank you." I turn around and give him the necklace, hinting that I want him to put it on me.

As he finishes clasping it, his hands rest on my shoulders. He leans into my ear and whispers, "Merry Christmas."

A rush of emotions flood through me and on impulse, I turn around and throw myself into his arms.

"Uh, did we come at a bad time?"

I can't help the giggle that escapes me. "No, Jasper. We're fine, just talking."

"Are you sure? Do I need to get a box of tissues," he hesitates for a second, "or condoms?"

Edward barks out in laughter. "I wouldn't need _your_ help in getting condoms, Jas."

"We're taking it slow!"

Another chorus of laughter fills the room. "I wasn't going to go there, but now that you mention it…" Edward teases.

"Okay, we should probably get back to everyone else," I say before someone tries to bring it up again, laughter still in my tone.

"Actually, that's why I came in here. Ali and I are heading home. It's getting kind of late."

"Alright, man. Get her home safe for me. We're right behind you," Edward replies.

They do that weird head nod thing that all boys do and Jasper heads toward the front door. Edward and I head back into the living room where Rosalie and Emmett are quietly talking on the sofa.

We talk with Emmett and Rosalie for a few minutes until Emmett brings up the whole 'me avoiding everyone' thing again. I can't help how my body tenses. Ever the most observant one in the room, Edward notices.

"Drop it, Em," and just like that, the subject is changed. A few more minutes pass as they talk about the upcoming basketball game, but I'm hardly paying attention. My head is far away from Forks, Washington right now.

I notice Rosalie and Emmett head into the kitchen and Edward pulls me toward the door. "You know that you can talk to me about anything right, Bella?"

I don't answer him at first. Instead, I bury my head in his chest at the sincerity of his voice. He means it. He really means it. It's been killing me inside not being able to talk to anyone about everything, especially now that there's a possibility that James knows what I look like. Then there's that whole thing with Victoria. I don't know what it means, yet, but I do know that there's something off about her.

His arms pull me closer to him and I can feel the tears threaten to spill down my cheeks.

"I can't talk about it, Edward."

He pulls me back so he can look me in the eyes. His hand comes up to cup my cheek. "I'll still be here when you can. You can trust me."

Without even hesitating, I say, "I know." Because I know I can. I can trust him, and I do. I trust him more than I should.

"Come on, let's take you home before the roads get too bad."

I glance at the window behind him. I didn't even realize that the snowfall had began to pick up. "Okay."

He leads me to his car and opens the passenger side door for me. I unconsciously trace the necklace with my hand the entire ride home. I'm already in love with it.

When Edward drops me off at my porch step, he lightly pecks my cheek and whispers goodnight to me. I can't help the overwhelming amount of feelings that overcome me, not only for Edward, but for everyone tonight. They really are my family, and I can't avoid them anymore. Edward is right. It's not doing anyone any good.

All in all, tonight was amazing and there is absolutely no way that I can even fathom ignoring them anymore. I love these people. My little group of friends have wormed their way into my heart and made me love them.

 **A/N: Thoughts? What did ya'll think about their gift exchange? What about the necklace Edward gave Bella? Did ya'll get the High School Musical reference (anyone else still love those movies)? Do you really think Bella's going to stop avoiding everyone now? What do you think is going on with James? Let me know in a review.**


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